Game 2 went to the Heat, who are the best NBA playoff eighth seed of all time. Home-court advantage now resides with the Miami Heat, and with plenty of rest, momentum could be on their side. The narrative was the Nuggets would have little difficulty with the Miami Heat, and it could still happen. Denver has a talented roster paired with a fiery head coach, and Miami has experienced playmakers and the best front office in the league. A pivotal game 3 will not disappoint fans of excellent basketball.


The 108-111 defeat was Denver’s first home loss since March 30th against the New Orleans Pelicans. It was their first playoff loss in eight games and their first loss to an Eastern Conference opponent since March 18th against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. The Miami Heat have lost their last two home playoff games, but have won game 3 in every series of the 2023 playoffs thus far. Miami Heat Center ‘Bam’ Adebayo has been playing at an MVP level, and if the Heat win it all, he will undoubtedly be a large part of that success.


BETS OF THE NIGHT:
Aaron Gordon OVER 12.5 Points (-120). Aaron Gordon has to be an X factor in this game. The Heat have shown a commitment to stopping Jamal Murray, forcing Jokic to shoot more. Look for that to be corrected via small back cuts, and Gordon being more dominant in the paint. He has played in Miami (and Florida) more than any Nugget player, he will have people happy to see him there, and he will get back to what was successful in game 1.
Aaron Gordon OVER 5.5 Rebounds (-145). Aaron Gordon has to be an X factor in this game… yes it’s mentioned twice. He has covered this line in three straight games, he must be a force in the paint and should get a few put-backs. Trust the 2014 fourth-overall pick to go out and show what he can do.
Michael Porter Jr. (MPJ) OVER 2.5 Threes made (-120). MPJ has been horrific in the NBA Finals, awful. He has gone a dismal 3-17 from deep. It could be his worst stretch of the season. There are no points in loyalty in the betting world, however he is still shooting the shot. He will benefit from being involved early, and he is getting the looks just shooting off balanced. Look for ‘The Well’ to quench our thirst at the best odds in over a month.
Denver Nuggets -2.5 (-110). The Miami Heat are a lethal team, capable of putting up points quickly. They were down eight points at the start of the fourth quarter, and before 100 seconds had gone by the lead vanished. The Nuggets just had their first loss in over two weeks. Sometimes a team won’t become motivated until they get ‘punched in the mouth’. The Miami Heat delivered that blow to the champion favorites, and it’s time to see what the Western Conference champions are made of. The Nuggets have responded well to losses, and if a few of their starters begin the game hot, they will remain hot the entire game. It could be close, but you will likely not see a spread so low on the Nuggets for the rest of the series.


THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE:
CENTER – Bam Adebayo. He is averaging 40 minutes, 24 points, 11 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the 2023 NBA Finals. He should continue to be the key to what they are doing.
FORWARD – Aaron Gordon. He is an affordable option to help bolster your lineup. A double double is within reach, and his floor is high. Gordon is a must-play.
GUARD – Gabe Vincent has 33 fantasy points in each game of the finals. He has been a solid DFS player with 35 minutes per game average and stats across the board.


Gear up for a guaranteed-to-be great game 3! It is such an instrumental game of the NBA Finals. In NBA Finals tied 1-1 going into game 3, the team that wins game 3 went on to win the Finals 80% (32 of 40) of the time. Enjoy it!
Bet Smart, Be Lucky -Iggy