NBA Finals Heat Up as Heat vs Nuggets Level Out at 1-1 After Game 2
NBA Finals Heat Up as Miami vs Denver Level Out at 1-1 After Game 2 – Ur eyes need to read further …
Kevin Love sat on the Miami Heat bench for Games 6 and 7 against the Boston Celtics, wearing white and black, respectively. He also didn’t log any time while watching Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Houston and Denver.
In Game 2 of the NBA Finals on Sunday night, the Heat inserted their 34-year-old stretch forward off the bench into the starting lineup. He helped Miami to a 21-10 advantage after the first quarter.
Nikola Jokic finished with an outstanding 41 points and 11 rebounds, and love was not the solution. The Heat’s scoring leader was not Love. Despite Denver’s whirling offence, Miami was able to win thanks to their larger roster.
With 6 points and 10 rebounds, Love was instrumental in the Heat’s 111-108 victory over the Nuggets, evening the NBA Finals series at 1-1. The Heat’s own pass-happy scoring approach connected on 17-of-35 3-point attempts.
After missing all 10 of his shots in the first game, Max Strus started the second off well by hitting three early triples. The Heat’s standout point guard, Gabe Vincent, scored a game-high 23 points on the strength of 4-of-6 shooting from deep.
In the first minute of the fourth quarter, Miami’s bench units had clawed their way to a lead, but Duncan Robinson scored 8 points to help turn the tables.
Bam Adebayo’s and-1 layup capped a 12-4 run for Miami in the first seven minutes of the fourth quarter as the Heat matched their greatest lead from the first quarter, 104-93.
Both teams rallied from double-digit deficits to lock horns after halftime, when the action slowed to the pace of a car’s tyres slogging through mud—exactly the kind of environment in which this Miami squad has excelled throughout the playoffs.
The Heat’s defence became noticeably more robust, especially when Adebayo fought back against Jokic’s bruising bulldozes in the paint. The Heat might have been torn apart by Jokic’s passing like they were in Game 1 when the two-time MVP dished out 14 dimes.
The Heat doubled up on Jokic at the elbows and on the blocks in the second half of this game. When the ball swung to Denver’s supporting cast, they were unable to score.
The swarming defence of the Heat in the second half rendered a highlight from the first half, a tic-tac-toe play in which Murray slipped a pass to Jokic, who fired a one-hander to Aaron Gordon on the baseline for an uncontested layup, meaningless.
Jokic still muscled his way to points, but the Nuggets’ offence, which has been so smooth and efficient for the most of these playoffs, was all over the place.
Denver went on a run in the second quarter while Jokic rested, with Jamal Murray leading the charge, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope contributing just six points on four shots.
Michael Porter Jr., a 2018 lottery pick who has improved his shot selection and defensive awareness, lost track of Vincent on a few occasions when he had wide-open 3-point attempts because he was distracted by the commotion around him.
Adebayo deserves praise for his great two-way performance, as he shot 8-of-14 and finished with 21 points and 9 rebounds despite being the primary target of Jokic’s formidable frontal musculature in the paint.
Adebayo’s scoring efficiency has dropped throughout Miami’s run to the Finals, but the Heat seem to have an edge when he’s driving downhill with a basket in mind.
Seven of Jimmy Butler’s 21 points came in the final quarter, when he made a corner three-pointer and two baskets off the dribble in the midrange.
Wednesday night’s Game 3 will bring the series back to Miami. It’s looking likely that Love will keep the starting berth in the Heat’s starting lineup that he took over after Caleb Martin’s breakout performance in the Eastern Conference finals.
Martin was sick all weekend and was doubtful for this game, but he still played 21 minutes and made 1 of 3 shots for 3 points.
The series is far from over; the teams will soon be back on their home court, where supporting shooters tend to find familiar bounces off the rim; a crucial player like Martin may have recovered from his injury; and scoring guard Tyler Herro may be available again.
