At the rate Denver and Miami are battling in the best of seven 2022-23 NBA championship, any basketball fan might be led to predict the outcome of the upcoming game.
Many, I’m certain, are already expecting at this time a seventh outing as the win-loss results have see-sawed.
Denver is up 2-1 as Nuggets coach Mike Malone, who was bashed after losing Game 2 at home, proved his doubters wrong with a comeback triumph as they visited Miami in Game 3.
The 15-point winning margin Nikola Jokic and his band achieved in a 109-94 thumping of Jimmy Butler and his Miami gang exposed the defensive holes in the Heat’s armor.
Unlike in Game 3 where Spoelstra wisely spaced and paced his starters for a final drive in the fourth, this time Malone outfoxed him as Jokic, Murray, Braun et al almost went berserk in dominating the last 12 minutes of the ballgame.
Sports Illustrated wrote highly of Jokic’s herculean performance. Jokic’s name is etched into NBA record books after finishing Game 3 with a remarkable 32 pts., 21 rebounds and 10 assists.
SI noted that this marks the first 30-20-10 (triple double, they call it) game in NBA finals history.
The two-time NBA MVP has done it thrice with the first two instances in Game 4 versus the Lakers in the WC finals (30 pts., 14 rebounds, 13 assists) and during Game 6 of the WC semis against the Suns (32 pts., 10 rebounds, 12 assists).
His partner, Jamal Murray was a huge help who poured in 34 markers, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Per StatMuse, they are the first teammates in history to record 30-point triple double in the same game.
So much for this superlative discussion.
The Heat’s lethargic defense enabled their foes to score more than a hundred points while their own offense went p-f-f-t comparatively speaking.
Anytime this happens to a home team, expect the visiting ballclub to squeeze out a win.
But the Nuggets did not sweat and frown as much as they did in losing Game 2 to the Heat.
That is why the final Game 3 result reflected the painful truth: That while the enemy’s artilery kept hitting their targets, the Heat’s designated snipers – Vincent, Robinson, Martin, Love could not find adequately their range.
Per the Sporting News, the Big Serbian has registered 10 triple doubles in this year’s playoffs, totaling 17 in all his playoff career. He now ranks third on the NBA’s all-time playoff triple double list.
Definitely. sans Jokic’s Denver would not have made it this long and how.
Of course, Miami fans, though sore at how ugly their fave team was bruised, bloodied and defeated, are highly expecting a Spoelstra comeback in tomorrow’s Game 4. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
