Jun 08, 2023 - 04:29
By theguardian.com

Nikola Jokić’s historic night lifts Denver to Game 3 win over Miami in NBA finals

Never had two players from the same team had 30-point triple-doubles in the same game. Never in the regular season. Never in the playoffs. Certainly never in the NBA finals.

Until now.

Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray made history Wednesday night – and have the Denver Nuggets two wins away from making some real history as well.

Jokić and Murray became the first teammates in NBA finals history to both record triple-doubles, and the Nuggets reclaimed the lead in the series by beating the Miami Heat 109-94 in Game 3.

“By far, their greatest performance as a duo in their seven years together,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, after his team moved two wins away from Denver’s first title.

Jokić finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists – the first such game in NBA finals history, or at least the first since assists were tracked. Murray had 34 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, getting the rebound he needed with nine seconds remaining.

Schedule

Best-of-seven series. All times EDT.

Thu 1 Jun Game 1: Nuggets 104, Heat 93

Sun 4 Jun Game 2: Heat 111, Nuggets 108

Wed 7 Jun Game 3: Nuggets 109, Heat 94

Fri 9 Jun Game 4: Nuggets at Heat, 8.30pm (ABC)

Mon 12 Jun Game 5: Heat at Nuggets, 8.30pm (ABC)

Thu 15 Jun Game 6: Nuggets at Heat, 8.30pm (ABC) *

Sun 18 Jun Game 7: Heat at Nuggets, 8pm (ABC) *

* if necessary

The Nuggets outrebounded the Heat 58-33, and took a 2-1 lead. Game 4 is Friday in Miami.

“I’m just glad that we won the game,” Jokić said. “It was a big one for us because they won in our arena. We just didn’t want to go down 2-1.”