Jokic, Murray Lift Nuggets
Led by the dynamic duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets handled the Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Game 2 will be played on Sunday in Denver.
Jokic recorded his ninth triple-double of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, tallying 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists. He’s just the second player in NBA history to produce a triple-double in his Finals debut, joining Jason Kidd (June 5, 2002).
Jokic’s 14 assists are the most in NBA history by a player in his first Finals game. It’s also the most assists recorded by a center in a Finals game, surpassing Bill Russell’s 13 on April 25, 1969.
Jokic shot 8-12 from the field and 10-12 from the free throw line. It’s the fifth time he’s recorded a triple-double while shooting at least 60% from the field in a playoff game, just one shy of the NBA record of six such games shared by Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
Murray scored 26 points and dished out 10 assists in his first Finals appearance. Jokic and Murray are just the the third and fourth players in NBA history to record a 25-point, 10-assist game in their Finals debut:
Michael Jordan (1991)
Russell Westbrook (2012)
Nikola Jokic (2023)
Jamal Murray (2023)
Jokic and Murray are just the second duo in NBA history to each record at least 25 points and 10 assists in the same Finals game, joining Magic Johnson and James Worthy (June 2, 1987).
Murray also grabbed six rebounds. He and Jokic have each recorded at least 20 points, five rebounds, and five assists in the same game six times this postseason, tying the NBA record for most such games in a single postseason by a duo (Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, 2014).
Murray — who shot 11-22 from the field — has scored at least 25 points in six consecutive games, the longest such streak of his career (regular season included). Murray is averaging 30.3 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 5.8 APG with 51/41/97 shooting splits over that span.
The Heat’s Bam Adebayo scored a team-high 26 points in the loss, adding 13 rebounds and five assists. Jokic and Adebayo are just the second pair of opposing centers in NBA history to each record at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists in the same Finals game, joining Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal (June 11, 1995).
Adebayo shot 13-25 from the field, but did not attempt a free throw. In fact, the Heat attempted just two free throws as a team, the lowest single-game total in NBA postseason history. The previous mark of three free throws attempted was set by the New Jersey Nets on May 7, 1993.
Haywood Highsmith came off the bench to score 18 points in just 23 minutes played for the Heat, making seven of his 10 attempts from the field. Highsmith made and attempted the only free throws of the game for the Heat, hitting a pair of charity shots in the second quarter. The Heat tied the NBA record for fewest free throws made in a playoff game shared by the Milwaukee Bucks (May 24, 2001) and Indiana Pacers (May 19, 2005).
Teammate Jimmy Butler was held to a playoff-low 13 points on 6-14 shooting from the floor. He also snagged seven rebounds and handed out a team-high seven assists. After opening the postseason with eight straight 25-point games, Butler has been held to fewer than 20 points four times in his last 10 games.