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Game two is also on the Nuggets’ home court on Monday morning (AEST) before the series heads to Miami for the next two matches.
Miami coach Erik Spoelstra will spend every waking hour trying to devise a game plan to shut down Nikola Jokic.
Good luck with that.
We will be back for a live blog of game two. Join us for the slightly earlier tip-off of 10am on Monday.
Nikola Jokic finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds and shot 8/12 from the field to just pip Jamal Murray as Denver’s leading scorer. The Canadian guard had 26 points to go with 10 dimes and six boards.
Aaron Gordon (16), Michael Porter jnr (14) and Bruce Brown off the bench with 10 also scored freely.
Denver only used an eight-man rotation but they had all the answers for Miami, finishing just above 50% shooting from the field.
Heat centre Bam Adebayo (26 points) was their offensive leader while Haywood Highsmith kept them in the contest late with 18 points from the bench.
Jimmy Butler was quiet with just 13 points on 6/14 shooting. If he plays like that throughout the series, it will be a four or five-game contest only.
Denver are three wins away from their first ever NBA championship after a dominant game-one home victory over Miami.
They asserted their authority in the first quarter and kept Miami at arm’s length for most of the match to close it out 104-93.
Jamal Murray dunks.Credit: Getty
Jokic drags down his 10th rebound to notch his triple double and then adds a couple of free throws to all but seal the win as we head into the finale.
But Highsmith knocks down yet another three.
Nuggets 102-90 with 1:20 left
Just when it looked like Denver could be throwing away their lead, Nikola Jokic works his magic close to the hoop for a couple of baskets.
Haywood Highsmith hits back for Miami to nail a three to bring up 15 points off the bench and Miami get within nine before Denver again kick clear after Aaron Gordon sinks a pair of free throws.
Nuggets 100-87 with 1:52 left
Jokic was sitting the middle stages of the fourth quarter and Miami had a chance to potentially get within range down the final stretch.
Their outside shots didn’t fall but they got in the paint a couple of times and Denver were aimless on offence, jacking up a couple of long-range threes as the shot clock expired.
An Adebayo assist to Butler for the dunk causes Michael Malone to call time for the hosts.
Nuggets 92-80 with 4:41 left
Denver get their mojo back and extend the lead back out to 16 after Porter finds Jokic inside, forcing the Heat to call for a break in proceedings.
Nuggets 90-74 with 7:16 left
Jamal Murray on the run.Credit: Getty
Lowry sinks another three soon after the resumption to make it just a 10-point gap before a Jokic assist to journeyman Jeff Green halts Miami’s 11-0 run.
Nuggets 88-74 with 7:58 left
The Heat start the final quarter with five straight points which should have been eight but Gabe Vincent missed a wide open corner three.
We have our first wedgie of the finals after a Murray three sticks between the hoop and the backboard. Shout-out to the No Dunks Inc podcast who track wedgies all season long and are just a couple away from a record tally.
Kyle Lowry then drops a three to trigger a Nuggets time-out.
Nuggets 84-71 with 10:02 left
The third quarter is in the books and the Nuggets are gathering steam, leading 84-63 as we head into the final frame.
Erik Spoelstra is trying all sorts of combinations but bench options Haywood Highsmith, Kyle Lowry and Cody Zeller are being outclassed like the starters have been.
Michael Porter jnr takes it to the hole.Credit: Getty
Worryingly for the Heat, when Jimmy Butler’s been on the floor, they’ve been a -22. Ouch.
Murray is up to 24 points while Jokic is almost certain to finish with a triple double after racking up 15 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds.