Category: National Basketball Association (NBA)

The last time the Heat and Nuggets met in Denver, Miami pulled off a victory in Game 2 that evened the NBA Finals.

Fast forward to Monday, and the series returns to Denver with the Nuggets heavily favored to claim the first championship in franchise history. That’s courtesy of a pair of convincing wins in Miami that staked Denver to a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Nuggets are heavy favorites ahead of Game 5. That includes 8.5 points at BetMGM, where they have received slightly more than half of the spread-line action with 51 percent of the bets and 52 percent of the money. The line is at 9.0 points at BetRivers, with the Nuggets heavily supported with 59 and 74 percent of the action, respectively.

The Heat’s +300 moneyline has been far more popular at BetMGM, drawing 79 percent of the total bets and 51 percent of the money. However, the Nuggets have again been heavily backed at BetRivers, drawing 64 and 82 percent, respectively, at -375.

“Yeah, just understand that we haven’t done anything,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I told our guys, the first thing I said (after the Game 4 victory), ‘We’re not celebrating. It’s a good win. We’ve done our job. But we’re not celebrating like we’ve done anything yet.’”

THE NEWS
For everybody outside of the Nuggets’ inner circle, there is plenty of evidence that their time is now. If not in Game 5, then in Games 6 or 7 during the coming days.

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has nearly averaged a triple-double for the entire playoff run with 30.1 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists. In the Finals he is averaging 30.8 points with 13.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists.

Aaron Gordon had what was perhaps his best game in a Nuggets uniform during Game 4 with 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range.

Gordon also has kept Heat star Jimmy Butler in check on the defensive end. Butler has averaged 21.8 points per game in the series, although he has been more productive on the offensive end in the past two games with scoring output of 28 and 25.

The eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Heat don’t seem to have enough offense to keep up with the Nuggets. All three of the Heat’s defeats in the series have been by double digits, although they will take solace in the fact that their lone victory — 111-108 in Game 2 — came at Denver.

“Same thing it’s always been, it’s one game at a time,” Butler said. “Now we are in a must-win situation every single game, which we’re capable of. Some correctable things we’ve got to do, but it’s not impossible. We’ve got to go out there and do it. We’ve got three to get.”

Bam Adebayo has averaged 22.3 points and 12.5 rebounds during the four games of the NBA Finals, up from his averages of 17.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in the playoffs. But Miami has been held to 95 points or fewer in all three defeats.

“All we are going to focus on is getting this thing back to … Miami and things can shift very quickly,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s going to be a gnarly game in Denver that is built for the competitors that we have in our locker room.”

PROPPED UP
The most popular player prop for Game 5 at BetMGM has been Jokic at +425 to score the first field goal of the game. At BetRivers, it has been Jokic at +120 to make more than 1.5 three-pointers, which has drawn 6.4 percent of the total player prop money at the book. Murray at -278 to score more than 20.5 points has been the most popular overall with 10.3 percent of the total bets.

KEY STAT
Game 2 was the Nuggets’ only home loss in the postseason. They have covered the spread in nine of their past 10 games against the Heat, and Denver has won the first half in each of its past 13 games against Miami.

INJURY REPORT
While the Heat’s Tyler Herro appears close to returning from a hand injury that occurred in the opening game of the playoffs, the shooting guard still has not contributed to the cause, leaving 20.1 points per game from the regular season on the bench.

THEY SAID IT
Malone’s plan over the weekend, in addition to figuring out how to get past the Heat one more time, was to have his players ignore all media — social and otherwise — and keep their minds on the task at hand as if it were still significantly out of reach.

“Don’t listen to everybody telling you how great you are because we haven’t done a damn thing yet,” Malone said. “We have to win another game to be world champions, and we’re going to do that by simply taking it one quarter at a time.

“We stay true to our identity, we’ll give ourselves a great chance to do that.”

–Field Level Media

Miami Heat forward Kevin Love rejoined the team in Denver on Sunday, one day after his wife, model Kate Bock, gave birth.

Love missed the Heat’s flight to the Mile High City and flew on his own Sunday to watch film and handle media responsibilities, one day before Monday’s Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

“Everybody is happy and healthy,” Love said during a press conference. “… Was able to make it in for our film session.

“Got a little bit of sleep, so today will be good to get up and down, get acclimated here and get some treatments, get some rest and be ready to roll.”

Love didn’t say if the child was a boy or a girl.

The Heat trail the Denver Nuggets 3-1 in the best-of-seven series. Only one team has ever recovered from such a deficit to win the Finals — the Cleveland Cavaliers, who beat the Golden State Warriors in 2016.

Interestingly, Love was a key member of that Cleveland squad.

“Naturally when your back is up against the wall you start to look for answers, solutions,” said Love, a five-time All-Star. “But we’re a team that as you know has been super resilient. We understand that it’s every possession, it’s one game.

“I know that’s something that is cliche and everybody says but again, we feel like if we come out, have a good start tomorrow, play extremely hard and give ourselves a chance and take it back to Miami, that is right where we want to be.”

Love, 34, joined the Heat in February after reaching a buyout with Cleveland. He averaged 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 21 games (17 starts) for Miami in the regular season, and he is contributing 7.1 points and 5.7 boards in 19 postseason games (17 starts).

–Field Level Media

One victory away from the first NBA title in franchise history and the Denver Nuggets prefer to act as if the Finals have never started.

The Nuggets took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series with a 108-95 road victory over the Miami Heat on Friday. The series shifts back to Denver for Game 5 on Monday and there are plenty of those who are anticipating a crowning achievement.

Nuggets coach Michael Malone is not one of them.

“Yeah, just understand that we haven’t done anything,” Malone said. “I told our guys, the first thing I said (after the Game 4 victory), ‘We’re not celebrating. It’s a good win. We’ve done our job. But we’re not celebrating like we’ve done anything yet.’”

Malone’s plan over the weekend, in addition to figuring out how to get past the Heat one more time, was to have his players ignore all media — social and otherwise — and keep their minds on the task at hand as if it were still significantly out of reach.

“Don’t listen to everybody telling you how great you are because we haven’t done a damn thing yet,” Malone said. “We have to win another game to be world champions, and we’re going to do that by simply taking it one quarter at a time.

“We stay true to our identity, we’ll give ourselves a great chance to do that.”

For everybody outside of the Nuggets’ inner circle, there is plenty of evidence that their time is now. If not in Game 5 then in 6 or 7 during the coming days.

The Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic has nearly averaged a triple-double for the entire playoff run with 30.1 points, 13.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists. In the Finals he has scored 30.8 points with 13.5 rebounds and 8.0 assists.

Aaron Gordon had what was perhaps his best game in a Nuggets uniform during Game 5 with 27 points on 11-of-15 shooting (3 of 4 from 3-point range).

Gordon also has kept Heat star Jimmy Butler in check on the defensive end. Butler has averaged 21.8 points per game in the series, although he has been more productive on the offensive end in the last two games. But as his scoring output has ticked up in the past two games, his rebound and assist numbers have dropped.

The eighth-seeded team in the Eastern Conference doesn’t seem to have enough offense to keep up with the Nuggets. All three of the Heat’s defeats in the series have been by double digits, although they will take solace in the fact that their lone victory — 111-108 in Game 2 — came at Denver.

“Same thing it’s always been, it’s one game at a time,” Butler said. “Now we are in a must-win situation every single game, which we’re capable of. Some correctible things we’ve got to do, but it’s not impossible. We’ve got to go out there and do it. We’ve got three to get.”

Bam Adebayo has averaged 22.3 points and 12.5 rebounds during the four games of the NBA Finals, up from his averages of 17.8 points and 9.8 rebounds in the playoffs. But Miami has been held to 95 points or fewer in all three defeats.

While the Heat’s Tyler Herro appears close to returning from a hand injury that occurred in the opening game of the playoffs, the shooting guard still has not contributed to the cause, leaving 20.1 points per game from the regular season on the bench.

“All we are going to focus on is getting this thing back to … Miami and things can shift very quickly,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s going to be a gnarly game in Denver that is built for the competitors that we have in our locker room.”

–Field Level Media

The Boston Celtics are finalizing a deal to hire Charles Lee as the lead assistant on Joe Mazzulla’s coaching staff, ESPN reported Sunday.

Lee, who was a finalist for the head coaching positions with the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, has been an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks for the past four seasons.

Before following former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer to Milwaukee, Lee worked on Budenholzer’s staff for five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks (2014-18).

Lee, 38, began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater Bucknell from 2012-14.

He joins a revamped coaching staff in Boston that also includes former Philadelphia 76ers assistant Sam Cassell.

Former Celtics assistants Aaron Miles, Mike Moser and Ben Sullivan left to join former Boston head coach Ime Udoka’s staff with the Houston Rockets.

–Field Level Media

Pull your punches, McGregor.

The man who plays the part of “Burnie,” the Miami Heat mascot, was treated at a local emergency room Friday night after taking two licks from UFC fighter Conor McGregor during a Game 4 skit, The Athletic reported Saturday.

“Burnie” was treated and released with pain medication and is doing well, per the report.

“Burnie” came out with gold boxing gloves to help McGregor promote his pain relief spray in the third quarter of Miami’s loss to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. But the Irish brawler must have thought he saw mortal enemy Dustin Poirier.

McGregor landed a left hook to “Burnie” that sent the furried creature to the floor, where McGregor landed another punch before spraying “Burnie” with his product as he was dragged away.

McGregor last fought — on the UFC circuit — in July 2021, a second loss to Poirier which also resulted in McGregor breaking his leg.

–Field Level Media

The Toronto Raptors are finalizing a contract with Memphis assistant Darko Rajakovic to make him their new head coach, ESPN and Sportsnet reported Saturday.

Rajakovic, 44, would replace Nick Nurse, who was fired by the organization in April after five seasons and an NBA championship.

The hire also sews up the final head coaching vacancy in the NBA.

Rajakovic, who is Serbian, got his coaching start in Europe before becoming the head coach of the then-NBA D League’s Tulsa 66ers from 2012-14. He has since been an assistant with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns and then the Grizzlies the past three seasons.

The Raptors tabbed Rajakovic from a group of finalists that reportedly included Kenny Atkinson and Milwaukee’s Charles Lee, who was also a finalist for the Pistons’ opening until Monty Williams became available.

Other candidates who interviewed or were linked to the post included Steve Nash, JJ Redick, Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, and NBA assistant coaches Kevin Young, Mitch Johnson and Jordi Fernandez.

Nurse, who was named head coach in Philadelphia last week, compiled a 227-163 record during his five seasons as head coach of the Raptors. Nurse guided the Raptors to their lone NBA championship in franchise history in 2018-19.

–Field Level Media

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isn’t hanging his head after seeing his team lose both of its home games in the NBA Finals.

Although the Heat are facing elimination as they head to Denver to play Game 5 on Monday, Spoelstra remained confident that his charges would extend the series to Game 6 back in Miami.

“All we’re focused on — I told the guys, feel whatever you want to feel tonight. It’s fine. You probably shouldn’t sleep tonight any amount of time. I don’t think anybody will,” Spoelstra said following the Heat’s 108-95 setback on Friday.

“We have an incredibly competitive group. We’ve done everything the hard way, and that’s the way it’s going to have to be done right now, again. All we are going to focus on is getting this thing back to the 305. Get this thing back to Miami. And things can shift very quickly.”

The Heat know that all too well, especially since they saw their 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference final go by the boards. They righted the ship by winning Game 7, however.

“You take it one game at a time,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “We’ve seen a team come back from 3-0 firsthand. So we just have to believe, and one game at a time.”

Jimmy Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Adebayo amassed 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat. Kyle Lowry scored 13 points while Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson added 12 apiece for Miami.

The Heat are still holding out hope that they can become the second team to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Golden State Warriors in the 2016 Finals.

“It’s the same thing that it’s always been — it’s a game at a time,” Butler said. “Now we’re in a must-win situation every game, which we’re capable of. We’ve got to correct some things, but it’s not impossible. We got three to get.”

–Field Level Media

Two nights after Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray put on historic performances, neither player was the key cog for the Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Aaron Gordon stepped up with the top playoff effort of his nine-year career as he recorded 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists to help the Nuggets move within one victory of their first title with a 108-95 victory over the host Miami Heat on Friday night.

Jokic and Murray were the first teammates in NBA history to have 30-point triple-doubles in Denver’s Game 3 victory. However, neither star was as important in Game 4 as Gordon, who stepped up with 11-of-15 shooting — including 3-of-4 success from 3-point range — as the Nuggets took a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“I mean, that’s just how this team is built,” Gordon said of taking the starring role. “We have guys that can step up night in and night out. Sometimes it’s not going to be your night, and sometimes it is going to be your night. This team does a good job finding people who are in a rhythm.”

Nuggets coach Michael Malone gushed about Gordon’s effort.

“Aaron Gordon was huge all night long,” Malone said. “He brought his hard hat tonight and was just a warrior on both ends.”

Jokic tweaked his right ankle in the opening quarter but still recorded 23 points and 12 rebounds. Denver reserve Bruce Brown scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter.

Murray registered 15 points and 12 assists without a single turnover. He had no problem being more of a complementary player.

“We got a bunch of guys who can come in the game and impact it,” Murray said. “You can’t just focus on me or Jok. You have to guard everybody, and tonight was another example.”

Jimmy Butler had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Bam Adebayo amassed 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat. Kyle Lowry scored 13 points while Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson added 12 apiece for Miami.

Denver can win the title at home in Game 5 on Monday.

The Heat are still holding out hope that they can become the second team to recover from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers rallied to beat the Golden Warriors in the 2016 Finals.

“It’s the same thing that it’s always been — it’s a game at a time,” Butler said. “Now we’re in a must-win situation every game, which we’re capable of. We’ve got to correct some things, but it’s not impossible. We got three to get.”

Miami trailed 97-89 after Robinson drove for a basket with 2:57 left before the Nuggets put the game away with an 11-2 dash.

Brown converted a three-point play to give the Nuggets an 11-point lead with 2:36 left. Adebayo scored on a layup seven seconds later before Brown made his own layup to make it 102-91 with 2:04 to play.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope drilled a 3-pointer with 1:49 left, and Brown buried a trey 28 seconds later to make it 108-91 and Denver closed it out.

The Heat have dropped six of eight games since taking a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals. They have lost four straight at home.

“We have no quit,” Butler said. “We’re going to continue to fight and get better, starting tomorrow.”

The Nuggets shot 49.4 percent from the field, including 14 of 28 (50 percent) from 3-point range. Brown shot 8-for-11, and Michael Porter Jr. added 11 points.

The Heat made 44.9 percent of their field-goal attempts and were 8 of 25 (32 percent) from behind the arc. Adebayo committed seven of Miami’s 15 turnovers.

Gordon scored seven points in the final 72 seconds of the third quarter. He capped the burst with a 3-pointer with 5.4 seconds remaining as the Nuggets took an 86-73 advantage into the final stanza.

Miami scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter, capped by Butler’s three-point play to trim the deficit to five with 8:42 left. Murray connected on a trey 17 seconds later for Denver’s first points of the quarter.

The Nuggets led 96-87 after Brown’s fastbreak layup with 5:07 remaining. Jokic returned with 4:09 left after sitting out for 5:15 due to being whistled for his fifth foul. Denver led by 10 when he took a seat.

Jokic and Gordon each scored 16 first-half points as the Nuggets led 55-51 at the half. Butler scored 14 in the half for Miami.

Gordon put up 15 points in the second quarter.

–Field Level Media

Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams underwent surgery on his left hand on Friday, the club said.

The Celtics said that Williams had the surgery to repair a torn radial collateral ligament in the hand. He is expected to be sidelined six to eight weeks before resuming basketball activities.

Williams reportedly injured the hand in March. He continued to play until the Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

Williams, 24, also is slated to become a restricted free agent. He made $4.31 million last season. Boston can match any offer Williams receives on the free-agent front.

Williams averaged career bests of 8.1 points and 4.6 rebounds in 79 games (23 starts) this season. He has career marks of 6.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 288 games (58 starts) over four NBA seasons.

–Field Level Media

The draft-pick rich Oklahoma City Thunder are trading 2024 first- and second-round picks and a 2023 second-round pick to the Denver Nuggets for a protected 2029 first-round pick, ESPN reported Friday.

Under terms of the trade, the Nuggets will receive the 37th pick in the June 22 draft and the lowest of Oklahoma City’s first-round picks in 2024, per the report.

Denver also has the 40th selection in the upcoming draft. The new NBA collective bargaining agreement has made developing young talent essential for luxury tax reasons.

The advantage of the trade for the Thunder is the ability to spread their draft picks further into the decade. They now have 15 first-round draft selections through 2029, per ESPN.

The Thunder also own the No. 12 pick in the 2023 draft.

–Field Level Media