The Nuggets Take Game 4 In Dominant Fashion And Leave South Beach Just One Win Away From Their First Ever Title

Megan Briggs. Getty Images.

I think if you were to ask any Nuggets fan, they would have told you if the team somehow found a way to split the two games and Miami and regain homecourt, that would be a successful trip. You head home with a chance to take the lead in the series and really put the pressure on Miami.

Well if that's a successful trip, what do you call going down to South Beach and taking not one, but both games? Not only that, but you did it rather convincing fashion in both wins. Each one was by at least 13 points, and tonight once the Nuggets retook the lead wt the 7:26 mark of the 2nd quarter they never were tied again. A huge part of that of course is the work the Nuggets are doing on the defensive end. The Heat offense has been held to under 100 points in 3 of the 4 games of this series, so let's not overlook that part of the equation here. If you keep NBA teams under 100, you're going to win.

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While most of this series offensively for the Nuggets has revolved around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, tonight we saw the version of the Nuggets where everyone shows up. Where it doesn't matter if you're a starter or coming off the bench, the Heat were going to have to handle punches being thrown from all angles. Jokic/Murray were both more than solid given we saw even more NBA history be made

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But the story of the night tonight was the play of the "others". You go into a game against the Nuggets and you expect the two man game of Jokic/Murray is going to be a handful. You budget for around 50-60 points coming from those two guys. What you probably don't prepare for is 48 points from Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown

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If there was ever a time for two role players to have one of the best postseason performances of their lives, I'd say Game 4 of the NBA Finals is a great time to do it. Gordon was consistent throughout, mixing in a great balance of power finishing in the paint in and over defenders, and then coming out of nowhere and making dagger three after dagger three

Gordon was a perfect 4-4 for a team high 9 points in the third quarter which is when the Nuggets got their legitimate separation, and you add in everything he gives you on the defensive end and this is the type of performance that helps win you a title. Every Finals has a role player moment and performance like this. Ever since Gordon has joined this team and slid in to what certainly looks like his ideal role, he's taken off. He plays much more within himself now compared to the Magic version, especially as an off ball cutter. It's like he officially switched from trying to be a 3 into just accepting being this super physical super athletic four.

With Bruce Brown, he was the knockout punch

After some absolute fuckery to start the fourth quarter and get the Heat back in the game, we saw some of the worst calls on Jokic you'll ever see in an NBA Finals game

At that moment, Jokic was given his 5th foul and had to leave the game at the 9:24 mark with the Nuggets up 10. From that moment on there would be even more fuckery to get the Heat even closer

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We were experiencing the Heat voodoo magic in real time. They started the 4th on a 7-0 run with some questionable whistles to keep them close, Jokic was forced out of the game and things were starting to tilt. After a couple of huge threes by Jamal Murray and Jeff Green gave the Nuggets a little bit of breathing room, after a Butler turnover things got wildly out of hand. It was Bruce Brown time.

Over the final 5:07 of the 4th quarter, Bruce Brown scored 11 of the Nuggets' final 14 points. Plays at the rim, AND1 fouls, dagger threes, we got it all

It was the exact knockout punch you're looking for in that situation. Leave no doubt about what just took place. Going on the road and taking both games to put the Heat on life support is some serious business. After all the questions of how the Nuggets would survive in non Jokic minutes, the fact that they are now on the verge of an NBA title because for those 5 minutes Jokic had to sit with 5 fouls, the Nuggets survived. Up 10 when Jokic left, up 9 when he came bak after nearly sitting for half a quarter, on the road. That's how you earn your championship. Other guys stepping up and coming through when you're so close to the finish line. 

As for the Heat, it certainly looks like their shooting is finally coming back to the mean. Another tough night from behind the arc at just 8-25, the Heat's "others" didn't have as great a night. Gabe Vincent/Max Strus finished a combined 1-10 (0-7), Bam finished 8-19 with 7 TOs and was a -18, and as a team the Heat turned it over 14 times for 17 Nuggets points. You can't struggle to score like that while also being overly careless with the basketball. That's usually a recipe for disaster, and the Heat have now lost 4 straight playoff games on their home floor. What was a damn good homecourt advantage all playoffs hasn't really been that as of late. 

As we know, teams are 35-1 all time in the NBA Finals after going up 3-1. The Nuggets haven't closed the deal just yet but it's right there. To now be able to return home for a chance to win the first-ever title as a franchise in front of your own fans is very awesome and exactly how this dream season for them deserves to end. They've been the best team all year and have the best player on the planet who is in the prime of his powers. You have to seal the deal on Monday.

As someone who experienced it, there's nothing like winning a title on your home floor. It's indescribable really. I can't even imagine what it's like when that title is the first one in franchise history. The best home team in the NBA all season long just has to do something they've done all year, and then the title is finally theirs. 

Monday cannot come soon enough.