The performance of the Nuggets duo is historic in more ways than one, because never have two teammates managed on the same night a "TD" to at least thirty points, whether in the playoffs or in the regular season.

The Canadian guard led the way in scoring with 34 units (12/22), 10 assists and 10 rebounds. The Serbian interior had 32, adding 21 rebounds and 10 offerings to his squad, becoming the first player to achieve a triple-double at least 30/20/10 in a finals game.

"To be honest, it doesn't matter to me," said the two-time MVP, who now has ten in these playoffs, a new record set in the same campaign. "I'm just happy with this win. It was important for us, because they won at home and we just didn't want to be 2-1 down."

The laurels were nevertheless braided by the coach opposite, Erik Spoelstra, believing he had to deal with "an excellent duo". "Their games are really complementary. In the final you have to expect there to be elite players, these two guys are part of it."

"That's what champions do"

Their coach Michael Malone was not left out.

"As far as Nikola is concerned, nothing he does surprises me. Never. This guy has shown time and time again that he is built for these moments. He thrives in those moments, on the biggest stage there is and he did it again tonight," he said.

"And I'm really proud of Jamal, because I've seen in the last 48 hours that he took for himself (the loss) in Game 2. But it wasn't just him who was responsible, it was me and all of us. But that's what champions do. That's what warriors do: they fight back," Malone added.

Miami Heat's Jimmy Butler walks to the basket against Jamal Murray (l.) and Nikola Jokic (r.) of the Denver Nuggets during game three of the 2023 NBA Finals, in Miami, June 7, 2023 © Mike Ehrmann/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

The technician had indeed demanded a strong response from his players that he had found too tender, overwhelmed to the commitment in the previous game, which had resulted in a first defeat at home in these play-offs (111-108). And so he was heard.

"We were just more focused. In the end, we made very few mistakes and our communication was at the top, that's why we won the game," said Jokic.

Butler and Bam lonely

In fact, the "Joker" embodied his team's clear superiority inside, using his size advantage and power, to score enormously in the Heat's paint. The Nuggets scored 60 points (compared to 34), more than half of their total.

And to better measure Denver's resources on offense, rookie Christian Braun did not fail to stand out with 15 points (on 7/8) off the bench.

Under the eyes of stars of all stripes who came to the Kaseya Center, Neymar and Paul Pogba, Shakira, Chris Tucker, Magic Johnson, Dwyane Wade or Future, but not yet Lionel Messi who announced a few hours earlier his upcoming arrival at Inter Miami, the Heat has yet been able to count on Jimmy Butler in the shot offensively (28 pts).

At his side, Bam Adebayo was again generous (22 pts, 17 rbds), resisting as he could against the Jokic steamroller.

But he missed the two Florida stars of the support in attack, Gabriel Vincent, yet excellent until then, passing through (7 pts, at 2/10), weighed down by early fouls that prevented him from entering the game well and finding the right rhythm.

Denver Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic (r.) and Jamal Murray (l) after their 104-93 win over the Miami Heat in the first game of the 2023 NBA Finals, in Denver, June 1, 2023 © Jamie Schwaberow/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/Archives

On this meeting, it is Denver who simply mastered his subject, to regain the advantage of the floor, before the game No. 4 scheduled Friday, still in Florida.

© 2023 AFP