Nuggets vs. Heat final score, results: Aaron Gordon stars as Denver steals Game 4 in Miami
Aaron Gordon #AaronGordon
The Nuggets are one win away from winning their first championship in franchise history.
After dropping Game 2 at home, Denver bounced back to steal back-to-back games in Miami and put itself on the brink of a title.
The Heat battled in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets were in control the entire night. It was “The Aaron Gordon Game” as the former top-five pick took over the contest, going for a game-high 27 points while shooting 11-for-15 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range.
Jamal Murray joined Magic Johson in the history books with his fourth-straight 10-assist game to start the Finals, while Nikola Jokic added a double-double of 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Miami got 25 points, seven assists and seven boards from Jimmy Butler and a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds from Bam Adebayo, but another spirited comeback came up just short.
If you missed any of the action from Game 4, The Sporting News had you covered with live updates, highlights and more.
Nuggets vs. Heat score Team Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final Nuggets 20 35 31 22 108 Heat 21 30 22 22 95 Nuggets vs. Heat final score, results Game 4 Final: Nuggets 108, Heat 95
11:10 p.m.: And now, the Nuggets are one win away from a championship. Behind a game-high 27 points from Aaron Gordon and a balanced effort from Denver’s supporting cast, the Nuggets have successfully stolen two games in Miami.
The Heat got big performances from Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, but their supporting cast failed to show up again. Max Strus, Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin combined for just 13 points, and that’s not going to be enough against Denver’s well-rounded attack.
11:08 p.m.: And Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope put the dagger in the Heat. Caldwell-Pope had a 3-pointer sandwiched in between an and-one and 3-ball from Brown to all but wrap this one up.
10:53 p.m.: History for Jamal Murray. The Nuggets star guard joins Magic Johnson as the only players to have 10-plus assists in the first four games of the NBA Finals.
10:49 p.m.: A Bam Adebayo missed layup turns followed by a tough finish inside from Aaron Gordon keeps the Nuggets’ lead at a comfortable eight points, up 91-83 with 6:54 to go. Gordon (27 points) has been a flat-out monster tonight.
10:42 p.m.: Here come the Heat! Nikola Jokic picked up his fifth foul with 10 minutes remaining in the quarter and was forced to head to the bench. Miami has responded with a 7-0 run to start the quarter, capped off by a Jimmy Butler and-one to send the crowd into a frenzy. The Nuggets’ lead is down to six, 86-80, with 8:42 remaining.
End of third quarter: Nuggets 86, Heat 73
10:32 p.m.: Play resumed but the delay couldn’t cool off Aaron Gordon. He knocked down a 3-pointer to end the frame and give the Nuggets a 13-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Gordon has a game-high 25 points while shooting 10-for-13 from the field and 3-for-3 from 3-point range.
10:25 p.m.: We have a slight delay in the action. Bam Adebayo hung on the rim on a dunk attempt and the basket is uneven. Bring out the ladder and level!
10:16 p.m.: Stop me if you’ve heard this before: the Heat just won’t go away. Every time it feels like the Nuggets are going to pull away, Miami comes up with a play to stay in it.
Kevin Love is grinding on both ends of the floor and Duncan Robinson picked off a Nikola Jokic outlet pass for a transition layup. Denver remains in the lead, 74-66, with 3:07 remaining in the quarter.
10:06 p.m.: The Nuggets opened the second half on a 10-4 run to build a 10-point lead and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra wants a timeout. Aaron Gordon found a cutting Jamal Murray on a beautiful bounce pass for a layup to put Miami up 65-55 with 7:35 to play in the quarter.
Halftime: Nuggets 55, Heat 51
9:42 p.m.: Another “Bam Slam” sent the Miami crowd into a frenzy as the Heat keep the score tight heading into halftime. Kyle Lowry provided a punch off the bench by chipping in 13 points, while Jimmy Butler’s 14 points and five assists lead the way for his team.
Aaron Gordon’s second-quarter explosion has him up to 16 points on the night, while Nikola Jokic added 16 points of his own despite battling through a sore ankle. Jamal Murray has been quiet so far, only adding six points and four assists.
9:30 p.m.: The Aaron Gordon show has broken out in Game 4. The athletic forward is up to 15 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the field in the second quarter to help the Nuggets build a 48-43 lead with 2:41 to play in the half.
He’s buried a 3-pointer, thrown down a vicious dunk in traffic and finished a beautiful alley-oop pass from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to highlight his outburst.
9:20 p.m.: Nikola Jokic went to the locker room at the end of the first quarter after tweaking his ankle, but he has returned to the game and buried a 3 on his first possession back.
9:15 p.m.: All of a sudden, the Heat are creating easy looks on offense. Duncan Robinson buried an open corner 3 off a Jimmy Butler assist, then Robinson found a cutting Butler wide open for a layup. Timeout Denver with the game tied 30-30 early in the second quarter.
End of first quarter: Heat 21, Nuggets 20
9:06 p.m.: We have ourselves a ballgame. The Heat closed the quarter on a 10-2 run, capped off by a buzzer-beating corner 3 from Jimmy Butler to give Miami a 21-20 lead. Butler was sensational in the first frame, scoring or assisting on 14 of the Heat’s 21 points.
8:58 p.m.: The Nuggets’ defense has been stifling early on. They have held the Heat to 5-for-14 shooting from the field and 1-for-7 shooting from 3, making them work for every bucket. Jamal Murray is starting to find a groove, knocking down a 3-pointer to give him six points on the night. Denver leads 18-11 with 2:06 to play in the first frame.
8:47 p.m.: It’s been a scrappy start to Game 4, with both teams knotted at 7-7 five minutes into the contest. Bam Adebayo (4 PTS) has been aggressive on the offensive end again — which is always a good sign for Miami. Michael Porter Jr. still hasn’t snapped out of his funk, missing back-to-back bunnies at the rim.
Pregame
8:00 p.m.: Although there was some speculation the Heat may switch up their starting lineup, head coach Erik Spoelstra is going with the same five. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love and Bam Adebayo.
8:00 p.m.: Same starting five for the Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic.
What channel is Nuggets vs. Heat on?
Nuggets vs. Heat will air on ABC. Viewers can also stream the game on Sling TV.
Fans in the U.S. can watch the NBA Finals on Sling TV, which is now offering half off your first month! Stream the sports you love starting at just $20 in your first month with Sling Orange to catch all the games on ABC.
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What time is Nuggets vs. Heat tonight?
Nuggets vs. Heat will tip off around 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday, June 9. The game will be played at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
Nuggets vs. Heat odds
Denver is a 3.5-point favorite heading into Game 4.
Game Lines NuggetsHeat Spread -3.5 +3.5 Moneyline -165 +140
Odds courtesy of BetMGM, an authorized gaming operator of the NBA. Click HERE to sign up.
Nuggets vs. Heat schedule
Here is the complete schedule for the 2023 NBA Finals:
Date Game Time (ET) TV channel June 1 Nuggets 104, Heat 93 8:30 p.m. ABC June 4 Heat 111, Nuggets 108 8 p.m. ABC June 7 Nuggets 109, Heat 94 8:30 p.m. ABC June 9 Game 4 8:30 p.m. ABC June 12 Game 5 8:30 p.m. ABC June 15 Game 6* 8:30 p.m. ABC June 18 Game 7* 8 p.m. ABC
*If necessary