With one game in the books so far, the second game of the 2023 NBA Finals is set to be played on Sunday night. This will mark only the second time in the past 12 days for Denver taking the court, so they continue to show how well-rested they are.
As they prepare to try and go ahead 2-0, there is plenty on the line and a number of reasons from the Miami side why they believe they can likely prevent that from happening.
Max Strus is very unlikely to shoot 0-10 for a second game in a row. Caleb Martin made but one single field goal, and was not even part of the closing lineup due to his struggles. Kyle Lowry and Haywood Highsmith both played incredibly well in the fourth quarter to even put the team in a position to be able to win.
And most importantly, Jimmy Butler should be in a better frame of mind and such, able to attack and be aggressive. His lack of presence certainly didn’t help the team much.
Betting Odds & Lines
- Spread: Denver -8.5
- Moneyline: Denver -375, Miami +295
- Over/Under: 216.00 points
Heat Seek 1-1 Tie
A victory in the second game for Miami would erase the struggles and doubts from the series opener. They were changing the rotation really for the first time in the entire postseason.
It marked the first time in a long time that Max Strus was pulled with four minutes left in each quarter for Duncan Robinson, showing that Erik Spoelstra was ready to do what he had to. And with the choice to start Martin over Love the last few games, perhaps he could throw Highsmith in his place.
The defensive aggression from the former Division II standout made a major difference, and his slashing and shooting kept the team from getting blown out.
It is also nice to have a guy like Kyle Lowry for moments like this. At the end of the day, if they can make Jamal Murray have to beat them and find ways to limit Nikola Jokic’s playmaking, they may just have a chance to break even.
Denver Aiming for 2-0 Edge
The Nuggets, like Miami, also changed their rotation in the game. They played the first part of the second quarter with Jeff Green running the center position. Usually, that would be Aaron Gordon, but he was so effective that he stayed in for the whole first, along with Jokic.
And when the fourth began, AG was on the bench with Joker running the five. They subbed each other out a few minutes into it, but it was certainly intriguing and shows Mike Malone’s willingness to experiment.
The team won because every single guy was open with their superstar big man setting the table for others. Double teams didn’t work. Single coverage from Haywood Highsmith in the final frame with Bam Adebayo on Aaron Gordon was when the success started to come.
Denver just has to continue to share the sugar, and they should be fine to get a win.
Miami Delivers
On the road and in the altitude, the Heat will win. They have been counted out all season. And yet, here they still are.
Betting Pick: Miami +295
