This is an article version of the CBS Sports HQ AM Newsletter, the ultimate guide to every day in sports. You can sign up to get it in your inbox every weekday morning here.
Good morning to everyone but especially to...
THE DENVER NUGGETS
All postseason long, the Heat defense has frustrated opponents. The Nuggets, though, have an offensive cheat code in Nikola Jokic and a supporting cast around him that can exploit weaknesses.
That lethal combination was on clear display in Denver's 104-93 Game 1 win.
Nikola Jokic had 27 points, 10 rebounds and 14 assists. He joined Jason Kidd (in 2002) as the only players to have a triple-double in their Finals debut, and his 14 assists were most ever by a center in a Finals game.Jamal Murray had 26 points and 10 assists. That makes Jokic and Murray the second teammate duo to have 25+ points and 10+ assists in the same Finals game, joining Magic Johnson and James Worthy, who did it in 1987.The Nuggets led by as much as 24. Miami cut that to nine in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.Denver is 9-0 at home this postseason.The star duo deservedly gets the most credit, but it was Denver's size and skill across the board that buried Miami early, writes our Sam Quinn.
There are some silver linings for Miami, though, writes our Bill Reiter.
Bam Adebayo was terrific with 26 points -- his most this postseason -- and looked much more comfortable offensively after a tough Eastern Conference Finals.Jimmy Butler had just 13 points -- his fewest this postseason -- and should be better going forward.Miami went 13-39 (33.3%) from 3 despite plenty of great looks. Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson combined to go just 2-23 (8.7%) from the floor and 2-16 (12.5%) from deep. That probably won't happen again.Still, this is the first time this postseason Miami has lost Game 1. Game 2 is Sunday.
