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Denver Nuggets eased to a 104-93 victory over a disappointing Miami Heat in the first game of the 2023 NBA Finals.<\/span><\/p>\n Nikola Jokic was the standout player as Denver’s Serbia centre picked up a triple-double – double figures in points, assists and rebounds.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The Nuggets never looked like losing in front of their home crowd in their first finals game for 47 years.<\/span><\/p>\n As top seeds, Denver also host game two of the best-of-seven series.<\/span><\/p>\n Jokic rose to the occasion, finishing with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds, as the Heat had no answer to the 28-year-old, who was NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2022.<\/span><\/p>\n His 14 assists are the most by a centre in NBA Finals history.<\/span><\/p>\n “Right now, the most important thing is to win a game, and I’m trying to win a game in any possible way,” Jokic told ABC.<\/span><\/p>\n “I don’t need to shoot and I know I don’t need to score to affect the game, and I think I did a good job today. Everybody contributed.”<\/span><\/p>\n Jokic was assisted by Jamal Murray with 26 points, while Aaron Gordon added 16 and Michael Porter Jr 14.<\/span><\/p>\n “I think that’s the beauty of Nikola,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “I learned a long time ago the defence tells you what to do, and Nikola never forces it.<\/span><\/p>\n “One thing about Nikola is he takes great satisfaction in making plays for others. He really does. I think he takes more joy in that.<\/span><\/p>\n “I don’t think he cares if he scored 27 points or not. He cares that we’re up 1-0.”<\/span><\/p>\n For the Heat, Bam Adebayo put in a strong showing as he picked up 26 points but the Miami centre had little help from his team-mates.<\/span><\/p>\n “They were in a pretty good rhythm, especially in that first half,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of the Nuggets.<\/span><\/p>\n