Nuggets win Game 2 behind Iguodala's 39 pointsIguodala and the Nuggets are up 2-0 on the defending championsAndre Iguodala and Dwyane Wade each scored 39 points, but it was the Denver Nuggets who emerged victorious in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the 2013 NBA Finals. Iguodala also added nine rebounds and three assists for the Nuggets, who now sit just two wins away from their first NBA championship.
Rookie of the Year Andrew Begley, dominant in Denver's Game 1 victory, was solid once again with 11 points, five rebounds and a game high 18 assists, as well as three steals that all came in the fourth quarter and helped spark a furious finish that saw Denver wrest control of the game away from Miami and hold on for a hard fought 120-110 victory.
LeBron James added 19 points for the Heat to go along with five rebounds and eight assists while Chris Bosh had 17 points, both playing a big role along with Wade as the Heat came close to stealing a win in the Pepsi Center. Miami ultimately couldn't overcome Denver's 42-29 rebounding advantage however and some key defensive stops down the stretch preserved a Nuggets victory.
JaVale McGee added 22 points and five rebounds for Denver, while Kenneth Faried and Andre Miller both had double-doubles with 16 points and 10 rebounds and 10 points and 10 assists respectively. The series now moves to Miami for Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary).
Wade's 52 points lead Heat to victory in Game 3Wade was unstoppable as the Heat won Game 3The Denver Nuggets almost pulled off a gritty comeback win, but Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat weren't about to let it happen. Led by an incredible 52 point outburst from Wade, the Heat won Game 3 of the NBA Finals 120-116 to make it a 2-1 series.
Andrew Begley scored a career high 34 points in the loss, while also adding six rebounds, 15 assists and two steals, but the Nuggets found themselves in a hole early as the Heat jumped out to a 14-4 start and dominated for most of the game. Begley spearheaded a furious rally that saw the Nuggets overcome a double digit deficit and briefly take the lead but a final push by the Heat allowed them to jump back out in front, gutting out the close win.
LeBron scored 19 of his 24 points in the Heat's impressive first half, also finishing with six rebounds and 10 assists. Norris Cole gave Miami a lift off the bench, scoring 11 points. Wilson Chandler scored 14 points off the bench for the Nuggets, while regular season Most Valuable Player Andre Iguodala had a quiet night with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists. Kenneth Faried tallied another double-double in the loss with 13 points and 13 rebounds, while JaVale McGee had 12 points and seven rebounds.
With the series extended to at least five games, the next two contests will be played in Miami before returning to Denver for Games 6 and 7 if necessary.
Nuggets just one win away from first NBA championshipBegley and the Nuggets are on the verge of making team historyWith just one more win, the Denver Nuggets can capture their first NBA championship. They'll have to get past a determined Miami Heat team though, which made them earn another hard fought victory in Game 4.
The Nuggets have shown plenty of determination themselves however, particularly top rookie Andrew Begley who had another outstanding performance. Showing more assertiveness on offense from the opening tip, Begley scored 17 of his team high 31 points in the first half, also finishing with eight assists, seven rebounds, two steals, four blocks and the game clinching three pointer in the 128-122 victory.
After falling behind by double digits by halftime, the Heat showed that they weren't about to go quietly into the night, pouring in the points early in the third quarter to make it a close game throughout the second half. After several lead changes, the game hung in the balance with the Nuggets holding a precarious 125-122 lead before Begley's three with 4.5 seconds left made it a two possession game, ultimately sealing the win.
Dwyane Wade continued his offensive onslaught in the loss, scoring a game high 48 points. LeBron James was also spectacular with 29 points, four rebounds and a game high 20 assists, the third highest assist mark posted by a player in the 2013 postseason. Mario Chalmers also had 14 points, five rebounds and seven assists for the Heat, while Chris Bosh was quiet with just 10 points and five rebounds.
Andre Iguodala scored 22 points and added five rebounds for the Nuggets, who also received 18 points apiece from JaVale McGee and Kenneth Faried, with Faried adding 13 rebounds. Andre Miller had 12 points, five rebounds and 15 assists in the win, but struggled with his shot as he went 5/15 from the field.
Denver Nuggets are 2013 NBA ChampionsBegley and the Nuggets soared past the Heat to win their first NBA championshipThe Denver Nuggets' historic season has come to a close in style, as they dominated the Miami Heat with a 132-94 victory in Game 5 to capture the team's first NBA championship. Rookie of the Year Andrew Begley was the standout player once again, finishing with yet another triple double with 28 points, 10 rebounds and 13 assists, clinching NBA Finals Most Valuable Player honours. He is the second rookie to win the award, 33 years after Magic Johnson became the first in 1980.
Perhaps mindful of their close call in Game 4, the Nuggets once again came out strong and never relented, continuing to attack the paint and maintain a double digit lead through most of the game. They led 96-68 at three quarter time and cruised to victory in the fourth, as a deflated Miami Heat team were unable to muster one last run.
Dwyane Wade, an offensive juggernaut throughout the series, scored just 21 points to go along with three rebounds, five assists and three steals. LeBron James led Miami in scoring with 27 points but picked up only two assists after tallying 20 in Game 4. Norris Cole had 18 points off the bench, while Chris Bosh was a non-factor with just two points, two rebounds and two assists.
In addition to Begley, four other Nuggets scored in double figures as JaVale McGee and Andre Iguodala each had 19, Kenneth Faried scored 18 to go along with his 14 rebounds and Andre Miller also registered a double-double with 12 points and a game high 14 assists.
Denver enjoyed a 55-35 advantage on the boards and also assisted on 39 field goals compared to just 18 by Miami. The Nuggets also shot a blistering 65% from the field in the deciding game, while the Heat shot just 42%.
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