The 2023 NBA Finals are finally here, with the Western Conference's top seeded Denver Nuggets appearing for the first time in franchise history against a Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat squad looking to win their fourth title (last won in 2013). We'll provide live game and score updates throughout the NBA Finals Game 1 Nuggets-Heat clash.
Despite finishing with the best record out west, most pundits picked the Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors, or Los Angeles Lakers to advance to the Finals ahead of the playoffs. While head coach Michael Malone eventually took issue with the perceived media bias against his team, the Nuggets largely let their play do the talking. After finishing off the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the first round, Denver downed a largely Chris Paul-less Suns squad in six.
The stage was set for a heavyweight Western Conference Finals matchup against LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers. Instead, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and the Nuggets promptly swept LA, with Jokic and Murray combining for 55 points in the final Game 4. Now, Denver is a heavy favorite to capture their first championship.
*Watch Heat-Nuggets NBA Finals Game 1 LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial, 15% off your first month)*
The journey was more difficult for the Heat. After shocking the NBA world by knocking out the East's top seed, the Milwaukee Bucks, in just five games in the first round, Miami stayed hot with a 6-game triumph over the New York Knicks in the semis. They appeared to be smooth sailing right on by the Boston Celtics in the conference finals as well, cruising to a 3-0 lead and a possible sweep.
Not so fast. The Celtics stormed back to even the series, highlighted by Derrick White's heroic buzzer beater as time expired in Game 6. A dramatic, and possibly historic, Game 7 was set for Memorial Day, but only one team showed up.
The Heat, who booked their tickets to Denver prior to officially clinching an NBA Finals berth, dominated a Celtics squad that ran out of steam, in part because of a Jayson Tatum injury in the opening minute. After a couple subpar outings by his own lofty standards, Butler dropped 28 Game 7 points on his way to capturing the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, while Caleb Martin shined with 26 points and 10 rebounds (Martin finished just one vote shy of Butler for the award).
Follow along with ClutchPoints as we provide live game and score updates from Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets.
Nuggets take Game 1
Dillon Reagan ·Despite only shooting 12 field goals, Nikola Jokic finishes with 27 points as the Denver Nuggets defeat the Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals.
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets DOMINATE the Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals 🔥
Joker: 27 PTS, 14 ASTS, 10 REBS
Jamal Murray: 26 PTS, 10 ASTS, 6 REBS
Michael Porter Jr.: 14 PTS, 12 REBS, 2 BLKS
Aaron Gordon: 16 PTS, 6 REBS pic.twitter.com/YWbgcl08R1
Jokic's triple-double record grows
Dillon Reagan ·Nikola Jokic records his ninth triple-double of the NBA playoffs, an ongoing NBA record. He's also just the second player in NBA history to put up a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut.
The Nuggets have played 16 games this playoffs.
Nikola Jokic now has a triple-double in nine of them.
An NBA record ... and counting.
Players to record a triple-double in their NBA Finals debut:
🔥 Jason Kidd (2002)
🔥 Nikola Jokic (2023) pic.twitter.com/DE6Vb8jNnK
Players to record a triple-double in their NBA Finals debut:
🔥 Jason Kidd (2002)
🔥 Nikola Jokic (2023) pic.twitter.com/DE6Vb8jNnK
Miami hanging around
Dillon Reagan ·The Nuggets still hold a comfortable double-digit lead over the Heat, but head coach Michael Malone wasn't happy after a pair of missed free throws and an easy Jimmy Butler shot cut Denver's advantage to 12 with just over four minutes in regulation.
Nuggets push lead back to 16
Dillon Reagan ·A second Kyle Lowry three in the 4th made it 84-74 Denver as nervous tension temporarily filled the building, but six straight points inside the paint and from the line make it 90-74 Nuggets with 7:16 remaining in Game 1.
Kyle with a pair of triples at the start of the quarter 👌 pic.twitter.com/VQE3sXct3v
Murray ➡ MPJ ➡ Jokic
Gorgeous Denver sequence... they lead in the 4th quarter of Game 1 on ABC! pic.twitter.com/wpvCbTpt4m
8-0 Heat run to start 4th
Dillon Reagan ·The Miami Heat aren't done yet, with Gabe Vincent and Kyle Lowry hitting 3-pointers to cut Denver's lead to 84-71 with 10:02 to go.
Complete player
Dillon Reagan ·Is scoring overrated? 😏
Nuggets are up by 21 entering the fourth quarter.
Jokic has attempted only five field goals 😳 pic.twitter.com/owKHl51uDg
Nuggets close out the 3rd up 21
Dillon Reagan ·Miami's offensive woes continued in the third quarter, with Denver cruising to a 84-63 lead as we hit the final frame of Game 1.
Celtics fans fuming about Martin, Strus cooling off
Dillon Reagan ·After dominant shooting performances from Max Strus and Caleb Martin in the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston, they've combined to make just one of 16 shots against the Nuggets in Game 1 at the 2:51 mark in the third. As expected, Celtics fans are taking it well.
Caleb Martin and Max Strus when they're not playing the Celtics.pic.twitter.com/tr9XRu0Rxi
Celtic fans seeing Max Strus and Caleb Martin shoot 0-12 in the first half pic.twitter.com/1CcrnmtwCo
Caleb Martin and Max Strus in the 1st half: 0 pts, 0-12 FG
Celtics fans: pic.twitter.com/O4zilESOha
Game 1 getting away from Miami
Dillon Reagan ·Bruce Brown knocks down his second triple of the night to put the Denver Nuggets back ahead of the Miami Heat by 19, 79-60.
"Sets, fires, and hits!"
Bruce Brown for three as Denver leads late in Q3... Game 1 LIVE on ABC 🍿 pic.twitter.com/0RnzYFKHb9
Murray, Adebayo trade buckets
Dillon Reagan ·Bam Adebayo has stayed aggressive for the Heat with 22 points, but Jamal Murray continues to fill it in with 24 of his own and five assists to put Denver up 71-55 midway through the third.
Murray ANOTHER and-1 🔥
Nuggets lead in Q3 of Game 1 on ABC! pic.twitter.com/gi6IFXlJ4M
Heat start second half hot
Dillon Reagan ·Miami scores the first 7 points of the third quarter to temporarily cut Denver's lead to 10, but a Jamal Murray And-1 extends the advantage back to 13.
Heat start second half hot
Dillon Reagan ·Miami scores the first 7 points of the third quarter to temporarily cut Denver's lead to 10, but a Jamal Murray And-1 extends the advantage back to 12.
Jokic on another level
Dillon Reagan ·Per CBS Sports, only four centers had 10+ assists in an NBA Finals game in league history before tonight. Nikola Jokic only need 24 minutes to pull off the feat in his very first Finals appearance.
Nikola Jokic is the first player to have at least 10 assists with 0 turnovers in a single half during an NBA Finals game in the play-by-play tracking era (since 1997), per @Stathead.
He would have also been the first with 8 assists and 0 turnovers.
Max Strus ice cold as Heat trail by 17 at the break
Dillon Reagan ·Shots that were falling for Max Strus and the Miami Heat throughout the playoffs have not so far in Game 1, with Strus currently 0-for-7 from the field.
Miami trails the Denver Nuggets at the half 59-42, with Nikola Jokic hitting a short flip shot with 4 seconds remaining to give him a 10 point-10 assist double double.
Nuggets fans give their team a standing ovation on their way to the locker room for halftime 🔥
Denver leads the Heat, 59-42. pic.twitter.com/B6VvkWThA9
Game 1 first half Nuggets-Heat:
Points in the paint:
DEN: 32 on 16-of-24 FG
MIA: 18 on 9-of-22 FG
3PT shooting:
DEN: 5-of-11
MIA: 4-of-17
2nd chance points:
DEN: 4 points
MIA: 6 points
Starters scoring:
54 points
31 points
Denver extends lead to 13
Dillon Reagan ·The Nuggets have their largest lead of Game 1 at 50-37 with 3:20 remaining in the second quarter. Nikola Jokic is taking what the defense gives him, scoring eight points and dishing eight assists.
Doubling Jokic is already -EV because of his 99 awareness, but like we saw in Lakers series: if u send it with whoever guarding Aaron Gordon, he lurks on the opposite block for a reason and is always in perfect position to set a back screen on the corner 3 assignment. Good luck. pic.twitter.com/TZqQ0bpO8Q
Bam locked in
Dillon Reagan ·After struggling to find his shot for much of Game 7 in Boston, Bam Adebayo has come out aggressive in Game 1 against the Nuggets with 14 points while shooting 7-11.
MPJ heating up
Dillon Reagan ·After a relatively slow start, Michael Porter Jr. knocks down a pair of 3-pointers and throws down a put-back dunk to temporarily put the Nuggets up by 12. A mini 4-0 run by Miami cuts the score to 39-31 before a Denver timeout, with Porter Jr. down on the court after taking a seemingly unintentional arm to the face from Bam Adebayo.
MPJ on the putback 😤 pic.twitter.com/YOb7gtSMQC
Michael Porter Jr. took a shot to the face from Bam Adebayo.
Dirty hit or inadvertent elbow? 🤔pic.twitter.com/WkwZRFeBcL
Nuggets lead 29-20 after one
Dillon Reagan ·Quick hands from Aaron Gordon set up Nikola Jokic's first shot and points of the NBA Finals, putting Denver ahead of Miami by nine after the first quarter.
Aaron Gordon finds the loose ball and finds Nikola Jokic to end the 1st quarter.
Nuggets lead the Heat after 1, 29-20. pic.twitter.com/Wue0XP3Ucl
Unselfish Superstar
Dillon Reagan ·Through 10 minutes of the NBA Finals, Nikola Jokic is yet to take a shot, but he has a quick six assists while setting up teammates for easy buckets.
Heat-Nuggets Game 1: Nikola Jokic has 6 assists in the first ten minutes of the game. Here, it comes off a standard Horns set, in which the Heat defense has a communication breakdown that leads to a wide open layup. pic.twitter.com/kKiRZZVsd0
Denver domination inside
Dillon Reagan ·The Nuggets are outscoring the Heat 18-6 in the paint with just under two minutes left in the first, leading the game 27-20. Luckily for Miami, Denver is just 1-for-5 from 3-point land, with Michael Porter Jr. finally hitting a trey on the Nuggets' last possession prior to a timeout.
Aaron Gordon feasting inside early
Dillon Reagan ·Aaron Gordon is taking advantage of smaller defenders in the paint, scoring a quick eight points to give the Nuggets a 14-9 lead about half way through the first.
Erik Spoelstra calls the game's first timeout at the 6:34 mark of the 1st. Nuggets lead the Heat 14-9.
Denver, with a clear size advantage over Miami, is attacking the paint every time. As they should. 10 of their first 14 points have come right at the rim.
"TOO LITTLE!"
Aaron Gordon feelin' it early 💪 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/n8qZRBnMAa
Jamal Murray opens the scoring
Dillon Reagan ·Jamal Murray hangs tough to hit the first basket of the 2023 NBA Finals. Jimmy Butler has a quick five points, but Denver currently leads 8-7.
Jamal Murray drops in the first bucket of the NBA Finals 💪 pic.twitter.com/8dHLB2JHCc
Heat royalty rolls up to Game 1
Dillon Reagan ·Despite being a relatively young NBA franchise, the Miami Heat have a decorated history with plenty of all-time greats donning the black and red over the years. Former big men Shaquille O'Neal and Alonzo Mourning, as well as Heat Culture godfather Pat Riley, shared a greeting ahead of Game 1 in Denver.
Shaq, The Godfather Pat Riley, and Alonzo Mourning at Game 1 of the NBA Finals 🏆
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/YBON7dTKFb
Denver ready for the NBA Finals stage
Dillon Reagan ·The Denver Nuggets have been around since 1967, starting in the ABA before moving over to the NBA in 1976. That year, they appeared in the final ABA Finals, falling to the New York Nets in six games.
Tonight, for the first time ever, they take the court for the NBA Finals, and the excitement inside the arena is palpable.
Basketball pic.twitter.com/RByPdf3gq1
Herro back for Game 2?
Dillon Reagan ·When Tyler Herro broke his hand diving for a loose ball at the end of Miami's Game 1 victory over Milwaukee in the first round, it was widely assumed that his season was over. That assumption was based on the premise that by the time Herro was healthy enough to take the court again, the Heat would be eliminated.
Of course, Jimmy Butler & company had other ideas, and now ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Herro could return for Game 2 against the Denver Nuggets.
“I'm told that Game 2 on Sunday looms as a possibility for Tyler Herro,” Adrian Wojnarowski said on ESPN. “He'll have a couple days here to test out that fractured right hand that is now healed. He's on the court working out. Can that hand take contact? Certainly you know Denver, when a player is coming back from an injury like that, you're going to have to be ready to absorb contact. But certainly Sunday, Game 2 is something he will test it out for, but if not Sunday, then Game 3 on Wednesday back in Miami, barring a setback there's confidence Tyler Herro will be ready to return then.”
Nuggets announce Game 1 starters
Dillon Reagan ·The Denver Nuggets stick with the same starting five that they've featured throughout the 2023 NBA Playoffs: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon, and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic:
Nuggets Game 1 starters:
Jamal Murray
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Michael Porter Jr.
Aaron Gordon
Nikola Jokic
Caleb Martin remains in starting lineup
Dillon Reagan ·After a red-hot Game 7 performance to help propel the Heat to the NBA Finals, Caleb Martin remains in Miami's starting lineup for Game 1 in Denver.
Caleb Martin again in the starting lineup to open the NBA Finals.
Heat starting Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Martin and Bam Adebayo.
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