In Miami, the sheen of a 2023 NBA Finals run has long since worn off. It has been replaced by an ongoing public feud between Heat team president Pat Riley and star forward Jimmy Butler, who’s trying to force himself into a new team before the trade deadline.
The Nuggets rolled into town at a critical moment in the soap opera Friday, defeating the Heat 133-113 in Butler’s first game back from a seven-game suspension imposed by Riley for conduct detrimental to the team.
Jamal Murray went for 30 points (20 in the first half), seven rebounds and eight assists, and the Nuggets (25-16) reached the halfway point of the season on a pace for 50 wins.
Sleeved up Joker
After an alarming last-minute injury scratch from the lineup on Wednesday, Nikola Jokic was able to play with a sprained right elbow in Miami. It did not seem to bother him. He completed his 16th triple-double of the season late in the third quarter with one of his most delicious highlights of the year.
It started with a rebound by Peyton Watson and an outlet pass over the top of the defense to Jokic, who was under hot pursuit from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Serbian teammate Nikola Jovic. Immediately after catching the deep ball, Jokic blindly flipped the ball back over his head into open space, past the two unsuspecting Heat players. Aaron Gordon fielded the pass in stride and threw down a tomahawk dunk.
Jokic finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. And he did it while sporting an unusual accessory. Last season, he told The Denver Post that he doesn’t use an arm sleeve partially so that when opponents claw at him, “I can complain to the refs, ‘Ah, look! It’s a scratch!’”
But injuries call for preventative measures. Wearing a sleeve, Jokic unleashed two elite swing passes in the first quarter to set up Denver 3s. He got past Bam Adebayo with a filthy drop-step for a layup. And he earned a seat on the bench for the entire fourth quarter after the no-look pass to Gordon and a subsequent 3-pointer of his own.
P-Swat replaced by P-Dot
The setup to Jokic’s fabulous 10th assist might not make the SportsCenter clip, but it was almost as impressive. Watson delivered the kind of daring Hail Mary that Jokic usually flings to him with equal precision.
It was just one of several impressive dimes by the young wing. Watson’s night wasn’t heavy on stats, but it showcased his touch as a passer, which has been coming along recently. He also had a behind-the-back assist and a perfectly dotted entry pass to Jokic, who flipped to Christian Braun for a layup. Watson now has 30 assists in his last 16 games, which is notable for a role player who doesn’t have the ball in his hands often.
Watson also arrived in Miami with a streak of 15 consecutive games with a blocked shot, the second-longest such streak in the NBA behind Victor Wembanyama, but it came to an end in the win.
Guarding the perimeter
The Nuggets held Miami to a 9-for-33 night beyond the arc, continuing a recent trend of improved 3-point defense. In January, Denver’s opponents are attempting 35.2 outside shots per game, which is down considerably from 39.1 at the start of the new year.
Murray was engaged defensively, adding three steals and a block to his latest impressive stat line. Christian Braun contained all-star candidate Tyler Herro, whose 22 points came on 2-for-7 shooting from three. And Butler was semi-quiet in his return, scoring 18 points on 15 shots.
The Nuggets are now 14-0 this season when they lead at halftime, and they’ve beaten the Heat in 10 consecutive regular-season matchups, not to mention the 4-1 series win in the 2023 Finals.
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