**NBA Finals Games 3 & 4 Preview: Denver Nuggets v Miami Heat** Following the Heat’s 111-108 win over the Nuggets in Game 2, the NBA final is tied at 1-1 as we head to Miami for Games 3 & 4. We’ll break down the keys to both team’s victories and what to look forward to over the next two games, but before we do, head to the[ best betting site in Nigeria](https://m.betking.com/), [BetKing](https://m.betking.com/), and check out our variety of betting options from [live matches today](https://m.betking.com/live) to our [virtual bets](https://m.betking.com/virtual) section. You can also read about our new feature; the [Pick 11 Jackpot Bet here](https://blog.betking.com/2023/04/12/jackpot-bet/). BetKing also offers Daily Specials with boosted odds, which you can find [here](https://m.betking.com/sports/events/prematch/soccer/special-offer/daily-special-bets). You can bookmark these pages and visit every morning for new and enhanced specials.
**Games 3 & 4 Location: Miami, Florida** In the playoffs, the Miami Heat have begun their fourth series without the advantage of playing on their home court. Remarkably, for the fourth time, they have stolen the home court advantage from their opponents. The Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and the Boston Celtics have fallen to this, and on Sunday night, the Denver Nuggets experienced it firsthand. This is why some people compare the Miami Heat to cockroaches, as they exhibit incredible resilience, toughness, and make it extremely challenging for their opponents to kill them off. Game 1 went according to [how we predicted](https://blog.betking.com/2023/06/01/nba-betting-tips-3/) for the most part; Aaron Gordon’s exceptional defensive skills contained Jimmy Butler, while Nikola Jokić took charge as the main playmaker and achieved yet another triple-double. The Nuggets’ energy and freshness greatly influenced the game, causing the Miami Heat to be less aggressive, resulting in the Nuggets committing only 8 fouls while the Heat set a new NBA finals record by attempting just two free throws. Consequently, two out of our three betting tips proved successful: the Nuggets won the game, and they surpassed the -5.5 handicap, winning by a margin of 9 points.
**Keys To Nuggets’ Game 1 Win** **Making Bam Adebayo A Primary Scorer**: The Nuggets’ defensive game plan was to allow Heat center, Bam Adebayo carry the bulk of the load on offense while limiting the threat of others, especially Caleb Martin. This game plan was executed flawlessly, as Caleb Martin only managed to score 3 points in 25 minutes, while Jimmy Butler recorded 13 points in 38 minutes. The Nuggets were content with this outcome because Bam Adebayo, despite scoring a team-high 26 points on 25 shot attempts and grabbing 13 rebounds, didn’t exactly hurt them. They picked their poison, and it paid off. **Taking Away Heat’s 3-Point Shooting**: The Heat entered the game as the most efficient 3-point shooting team in this season’s playoffs, boasting a remarkable 39.2% success rate. However, one of the Nuggets’ defensive strategies was to neutralize this strength. As a result, the Heat’s shooting percentage dropped to 33.3%, and it was even lower before the start of the fourth quarter. Though Nigerian Guard, Gabe Vincent had a decent game with 19 points, the usually reliable trio of Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson combined for 6 points and 4 assists in 67 minutes. With these guys failing to hit shots, the Heat offense never stood much of a chance. **Capitalizing On The Mismatches**: The Nuggets possess a significant size advantage, which was particularly evident in the matchup between their guard, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and the Heat’s forward, Caleb Martin, who both stand at 6 ft 5. In Game 1, the Nuggets exploited this mismatch, making it difficult for the undersized Heat to defend them effectively and prevent them from driving to the rim on offense. Recognizing this, Heat’s Head Coach, Erik Spoelstra, made a subtle yet impactful change for Game 2. He opted to replace Caleb Martin in the starting lineup and introduced Kevin Love, who stands at 6 ft 8. By doing so, Spoelstra aimed to negate the Nuggets’ size advantage. As a result, the Heat managed to secure a victory in Game 2.
The essence of playoff series lies in making adjustments since it’s impractical to face a team 4-7 times without adapting your game plan. In preparation for Game 2, the Heat’s Head Coach Erik Spoelstra, implemented significant changes to their strategy and was duly rewarded with a crucial victory. **Keys To Heat’s Game 2 Win** **Stopping Nikola Jokić’s Playmaking:** Jokić is an excellent scorer, but he poses an even greater threat when he is allowed to showcase his playmaking skills. Few players in the NBA today elevate their teammates’ performance like he does. The Heat’s strategy in their matchup against Jokić was to limit his playmaking by forcing him to focus more on scoring. Despite Jokić‘s impressive 41-point performance, his 4 assists were significantly lower than his playoff average, which was disappointing. This approach also affected the offensive effectiveness of his fellow starters, including Aaron Gordon (12 points), Michael Porter Jr. (5 points), and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6 points), who struggled to make an impact. Even Jamal Murray, who had 10 points going into the fourth quarter, faced difficulties. Interestingly, the Nuggets have lost all three games in this playoff series where Jokic has scored 40 or more points. **Using The Zone Defense Late In The Game:** The Zone defense has been a topic of much discussion, as it has the ability to disrupt even the most potent offenses and throw them off their rhythm. However, it is not invincible and can be penetrated. Jokić demonstrated this in Game 1, effortlessly dismantling the Heat’s Zone defense. Nevertheless, the true beauty of the Zone lies in its strategic usage during critical moments. When Jokić was on the bench at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Miami capitalized on the opportunity and swiftly scored 10 points in just 90 seconds, primarily through the efforts of Duncan Robinson. However, the Nuggets faced a significant challenge in breaking down the Heat’s defense without their primary playmaker, Jokić. Miami extended their lead by 12 points during this stretch. Although the Nuggets eventually regained their composure and finished the game with an 11-2 run, it was too little, too late, as those chaotic five minutes of offensive struggles had already taken a toll on them. **Having Jimmy Butler Guard Jamal Murray:** The Nuggets thrive when they have Jokić orchestrating the offense and Jamal Murray providing scoring firepower. However, in this particular game, the Heat made a strategic decision to assign Jimmy Butler to guard Murray instead of Aaron Gordon. This adjustment proved effective in limiting Murray’s impact on the game. Despite showcasing his scoring prowess with 8 crucial points in the final few minutes, including two 3-pointers, his overall contribution of 18 points fell short of expectations.
**What To Expect In Games 3 & 4** **Relatively Low Scoring**: The Denver Nuggets had been scoring an average of 116.4 points in the playoffs prior to this series. However, in the first two games, their average points dropped to 106. It is evident that they are facing challenges in maintaining their usual efficiency against the strong defense of Miami. We anticipate that this trend of lower scoring – by their standards – will persist irrespective of the game’s result. **Denver Nuggets to Bounce Back With A Win**: The Nuggets started the playoffs with three losses on the road, but since then, they’ve won each of their last three games away from home – a series clinching win over the Suns and two games in Los Angeles to complete the sweep against the Lakers. Having played poorly by their standard – a sentiment echoed by Head Coach, Mike Malone – we expect them to put on a better performance than they did in Game 2. **Nuggets’ Two Man Offense**: Nikola Jokić has averaged a triple-double in this playoff, while Jamal Murray has showcased his passing skills by recording 10 assists in each of the first two games of the finals. In Game 1, both players combined for 24 assists, and we strongly expect them to mirror this performance after giving up their home court advantage. **Betting Tips:**