Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat host two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets for Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals on Wednesday night. The series is tied 1-1 after the Heat stole a Game 2 win on the road. Denver is making their first Finals appearance, while Miami is playing in its seventh franchise appearance and its first since the 2020 bubble season.
USA TODAY Sports will bring you the latest news, updates, analysis and more throughout Game 3. Follow along.
Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade gets standing ovation
“D-Wade with a huge ovation from the Heat crowd after the first quarter in Game 3,” USA TODAY Sports’ Safid Deen tweeted from Kaseya Center on Wednesday.
1Q: Nuggets 24, Heat 24
It was back to the Nikola Jokic-Jamal Murray show for the Denver Nuggets in the first quarter of Game 3.
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Murray scored eight of Denver’s first 10 points, and then two-time MVP Nikola Jokic picked up his offense later in the quarter. Jokic had 10 points, seven rebounds and three assists, and the Nuggets shot 52.2% from the field though they missed their five 3-point attempts.
While Miami found some open shots, the Nuggets were more active defensively, holding the Heat to 9-for-23 shooting (39.1%) in the opening quarter.
Miami’s starting five contributed in a variety of ways: Jimmy Butler had 10 points; Gabe Vincent added five points; Bam Adebayo had four points and four rebounds; Max Strus delivered four assists and Kevin Love made an early 3-pointer.
Dwyane Wade hugs Jimmy Butler; more celebrities attend Game 3
Celebrities are just like us: They love sports! But unlike a majority of us, the biggest stars in movies, TV and music have the means to cheer on their beloved teams courtside. Game 3 of the NBA Finals was no different.
Star-studded attendees included musicians Shakira, J Cole, DJ Khaled, G-Eazy and Future, NBA champions Dwyane Wade (former Heat star, too) and Magic Johnson, actor Chris Tucker, soccer stars Neymar and Paul Pogba, in addition to Twitch star Kai Cenat.
Kevin Love proves vital to Miami Heat on and off the court in run to NBA Finals
Kevin Love could only smile. Love’s importance to the Heat – coach Erik Spoelstra quickly took the blame for not starting him in Game 1 – became a hot topic and then a matter of evidence through two games of the NBA Finals: the first a Miami loss, the second a Miami victory.
Love – a 15-year veteran playing in his fifth Finals – has become connective tissue for the Heat during their playoff run. And when he’s starting, as he did in Game 2, Miami is more likely to win.
The Heat are 11-4 with Love in the starting lineup and 12-5 in all games he’s played for Miami during the postseason.
“I think just being myself, unapologetically,” Love says as the reason why he’s been able to fit in so well with the Heat. — Safid Deen
Larry O’Brien Trophy speeds way into Game 3
The Larry O’Brien Trophy arrived in style, again.
After skydiving into downtown Denver ahead of Game 1, the coveted trophy arrived “at full speed by cigarette boat” as the series shifts to Miami on Wednesday. ESPN host Malika Andrews accompanied Larry on the ride as the boat reached speeds of 105 mph. It was smooth sailing for Larry, but can the same be said about the Heat and Nuggets?
Heat’s Caleb Martin close to 100% after chills, migraine in NBA Finals
Heat swingman Caleb Martin is feeling closer to 100% after dealing with chills, body aches and a “heavy, heavy migraine” during the first two games against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
“I am feeling better now – definitely a lot better,” Martin said Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s Game 3 at Kaseya Center, with the series tied 1-1.
“I feel like I’ve almost got it out of my system, so definitely feeling a lot better than I did the last two games … Just a couple of these meds and I’ll be alright.” — Safid Deen
Miami Heat starting lineup for Game 3
- PG Gabe Vincent
- SG Max Strus
- SF Jimmy Butler
- PF Kevin Love
- C Bam Adebayo
Denver Nuggets starting lineup for Game 3
- PG Jamal Murray
- SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
- SF Michael Porter Jr.
- PF Aaron Gordon
- C Nikola Jokic
NBA Finals Game 3 betting odds
Tipico Sportsbook has the spread favoring Denver by 2.5 points over Miami. They have the moneyline for Miami set at +130 and for Denver set at –150. They have the over/under for total points set at 214.5.
DJ Khaled wants Miami Heat to win another one
Miami Heat superfan DJ Khaled is in the building. The Grammy-winning DJ and music producer stopped by ABC’s “NBA Countdown” ahead of Game 3 at Kaseya Center to praise the Heat: “Our team is the definition of team work.”
“It is definitely Heat culture. But it is also the players embracing the Heat culture,” Khaled said. “When you come to Miami, we are different… I think we have showed you that through the years and years of us being champions, making the playoffs… another one, another one. We keep doing what we do. You have to respect us.”
Khaled said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra is “one of the best coaches in the game. He deserves that title“ of Coach of the Year, which Spoelstra has never won in his coaching career. “That’s crazy,” Khaled added.
NBA Finals Game 3 referees
Crew chief Tony Brothers, referee Josh Tiven, umpire Kevin Scott and alternate Ben Taylor are the officials for Game 3.
When was the last time Miami hosted an NBA Finals game?
Miami hasn’t hosted an NBA Finals game in nearly nine years. It means a lot to the Heat players, just as much as their fans.
“I’m so happy for the city of Miami, this organization,” Jimmy Butler said. “(The fans) deserve to win the Finals and win a championship. We will do anything in our power to make that happen, but I just know that the energy in there is going to be unmatched. It has been throughout this entire playoffs run, even in the regular season.”
The last NBA Finals game to be played in Miami was June 12, 2014, when the Heat hosted the San Antonio Spurs for Game 4. Miami, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, lost the game to the Tim Duncan-led Spurs and eventually the series, 4-1.
The Heat made it to the NBA Finals in the 2020 bubble season against the Los Angeles Lakers, but the championship series was played on a neutral site in Orlando. The Heat lost to the Lakers in six games.
“I know (the fans) are going to show up and show out and I know we are going to do the same,” Butler added.
Michael Malone: Game 2 loss was a ‘wake-up call’ for Nuggets
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said losing Game 2 to the Heat, Denver’s first loss at home this postseason, could be a negative that turns into a positive in Game 3: “Maybe it’s a wake up call. I have no doubt our guys will play a much better game than we did in Denver.” — Safid Deen
Heat’s Udonis Haslem spoke for many Floridians (and Americans) by bashing Ron DeSantis | Opinion
Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem did something recently that a lot of Floridians likely want to. That a lot of athletes in Florida would probably like to do as well. Hell, that a lot of Americans want to.
He bashed Ron DeSantis, the governor of Florida and a Presidential hopeful, as an embarrassment to the state. Haslem did it in no uncertain terms. No holding back. No caveats. Haslem spoke the truth and did something important while doing it. He used his power not just to bring attention to the abhorrent things DeSantis is doing in Florida, but also condemn them.
Make no mistake: what Haslem has done is courageous because he risks an attack from DeSantis and his allies. They can try and make his life miserable but Haslem doesn’t seem to care. — Mike Freeman
Why defense is Nuggets’ biggest concern headed into Game 3 of NBA Finals
Much has been made of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic’s offense and how the Miami Heat try to defend him.
In Miami’s 111-108 Game 2 victory, tying the NBA Finals at 1-1, Jokic had 41 points but just four assists as the Nuggets fell to 0-4 all-time in the playoffs when Jokic scores 40 or more. His four assists were a playoff-low this season.
While the Heat’s strategy to slow Jokic will continue to be a topic, the Nuggets were still an efficient offensive team through two games. The bigger concern is their defense and the effort on that side of the court.
“If you really want to simplify the first two games, in the first three quarters we have dominated both games,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “The Miami Heat are dominating the fourth quarter.” — Jeff Zillgitt
Is Tyler Herro playing tonight?
Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro (hand) has been ruled out for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
“We’re still day-to-day,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Wednesday, ahead of Game 3. “I don’t have another update for you. He is scheduled to have another full-contact workout (Thursday). He has not been cleared yet. So until he has been cleared, a lot of this stuff is really just hypothetical.”
How to watch the NBA Finals
ABC is broadcasting each game. You can live stream the game on Hulu with live TV, ESPN, DirecTV Stream and YouTubeTV.
NBA Finals TV schedule 2023
- Game 1: Nuggets 104, Heat 93
- Game 2: Heat 111, Nuggets 108
- Game 3: Heat vs. Nuggets | Wednesday, June 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 4: Heat vs. Nuggets | Friday, June 9 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 5: Nuggets vs. Heat | Monday, June 12 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
- Game 6: Heat vs. Nuggets | Thursday, June 15 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
- Game 7: Nuggets vs. Heat | Sunday, June 18 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC) *
*if necessary