The Denver Nuggets made a statement in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, cruising to a 104-93 win over the Miami Heat to take a 1-0 series lead.
Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray led the charge for the Nuggets, combining for 53 points and 24 assists, but it was Aaron Gordon who set the tone from the jump on both ends of the floor, sparking the Nuggets' victory.
As Jokic played maestro, dishing out six assists in the first quarter while attempting just one shot, Gordon went to work on the offensive end, scoring 12 points while torching the Heat's smaller defenders in the post and in transition.
MORE: Shaq heaps praise on Nikola Jokic after Nuggets' Game 1 win
With the Heat sticking with their small-ball approach, Bam Adebayo was tasked with guarding Jokic, leaving Gordon free to feast on their undersized defenders in Caleb Martin, Max Strus, and Gabe Vincent.
"You've got to play to your advantages at this time of year and all the time," Gordon said postgame of capitalizing on the size mismatch.
"I was just looking to play to my advantages."
"TOO LITTLE!"
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 2, 2023
Aaron Gordon feelin' it early 💪 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/n8qZRBnMAa
Jokic had nothing but praise for Gordon's efforts in Game 1, commending the 6-foot-8 forward's attitude.
“I love to play with him. I love to play with dominant big men," Jokic said. "The best thing he’s doing is accepting his role, and he’s done a great job of that.”
MORE: Nikola Jokic joins Jason Kidd on exclusive NBA Finals triple-double list
Gordon's early efforts on offense set the tone for the Nuggets, but he was equally as impressive on the defensive end, helping hold Heat star Jimmy Butler in check. Butler recorded his worst game of the postseason, finishing with 13 points on 14 shots.
A well-earned Defensive Player of the Game chain for AG.
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 2, 2023
"I thought he did a hell of a job taking on that challenge of guarding a guy like Jimmy Butler," Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said postgame.
"I felt as a group, a collective unit, I felt our guys did a hell of a job, as well.
"He does a lot of the dirty work for us, and a lot of times he doesn't get the credit that he deserves. They were switching early on and I felt he was really big in terms of sitting down in front of the rim, scoring in the paint and finishing at the rim. And again, just his effort on the defensive end was just another example of his importance to our group."
Game 2 is set for Sunday, June 4 at Ball Arena, with tip-off coming shortly after 8:30 p.m. ET.
