Aaron Gordon levitated for acrobatic slams, sank long-range shots and provided constant physicality, pacing a Game 4 win over the Miami Heat and helping the Denver Nuggets earn a 3-1 NBA Finals lead Friday in Miami.
The Nuggets forward scored a game-high 27 points in the 108-95 victory at the Kaseya Center. All-Star center Nicola Jokic totaled 23 points and 12 rebounds in the win.
The Nuggets are just one win shy of claiming their first title in franchise history. Game 5 of the best-of-seven series will be Monday in Denver.
The Nuggets outshot the Heat 49.4% to 44.9% and made 14 3-pointers, compared to eight from their foes. They also forced 14 turnovers and led by as many as 17 points.
“I told the guys, ‘Feel whatever you want to feel tonight,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It’s fine. … I don’t think anybody will [sleep]. 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.”
The Nuggets led by as many as seven points in the first quarter. The Heat then went on a 10-2 run to end the frame and carried a 21-20 edge into the second. Heat forward Jimmy Butler scored nine, including a go-ahead 3-pointer at the end of the quarter, leading all scorers over the first 12 minutes.
The Heat outshot the Nuggets 50% to 31.6% in the first quarter. The Nuggets went on to take a 25-23 lead 1:50 into the second quarter and never trailed again. They outscored the Heat 35-30 in the quarter, paced by 15 points from Gordon, and led 55-51 at halftime.
The Nuggets scored six unanswered points early in the second half to push their lead to 10. They outscored the Heat 31-22 and outshot their foes 56.5% to 38.1% in the third to carry an 86-73 lead into the fourth. Gordon scored nine points in the third quarter.
The Heat scored the first seven points of the fourth and went on to cut the deficit to five, but never got closer. Both teams scored 22 points over the final 12 minutes.
Nuggets forward Bruce Brown came off the bench and scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter.
Gordon, Brown and Jokic made three 3-pointers apiece for the Nuggets. Butler scored 25 points in the loss. Center Bam Adebayo logged 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Heat.
