Denver does this on the road

The Heat have one day left

The Heat could tell entering halftime, Miami gave Denver most of everything Miami had, the Nuggets barely nudged.

Jimmy Butler went at it in Game 3, tried to squeeze his way inside and for the most part had luck squeezing. Didn’t make shots in the first half, didn’t convert on field goals, but squeezed well.

Caleb Martin percolated off the bench in the second period, Gabe Vincent appeared his recent self, an NBA player capable of creating dangerous three-point shots, Bam Adebayo submitted a double-double by halftime, nine Heat players combined for but one Heat turnover in two Heat quarters.

Yet at the end of one half, five-point deficit, Miami had had it. Had it!

Jimmy Butler gave a look walking back into the building which revealed it all. The Heat gave Miami’s best and yet Denver still had 53 points, still had a lead. Worse, and Butler’s face betrayed this, Denver had room to grow. Room to build.