Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray dominated the Heat on Wednesday night to help the Nuggets take a 2-1 lead in the 2023 NBA Finals. With the Heat appearing to have no answer for the two, Denver looks to inch closer to the gentleman’s sweep and go up 3-1 with a victory tonight. The pressure is high in each contest, so check out some of the best player props and first basket bets for Heat vs. Nuggets Game 4 and get in on the action ahead of tip-off.
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Nuggets vs. Heat First Basket Odds + More Player Prop Bets
For the third consecutive game, Bam Adebayo beat Jokic to the opening jump ball. The Heat has had the first possession in all but one game in this series, and the opening tip they lost was thanks to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stealing the jump ball that Adebayo inadvertently tipped his way in Game 1. With Adebayo continuously beating Jokic in this category, we like Miami’s odds of gaining the first possession again in this one.
Here are the first basket scorer odds on the top sports betting apps for Game 4 of the Finals.
| Player | DraftKings | FanDuel | Caesars (Code 'TODAYFULL') |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokic | +460 | +390 | +400 |
| Jimmy Butler | +600 | +550 | +600 |
| Bam Adebayo | +650 | +500 | +550 |
| Jamal Murray | +650 | +550 | +500 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | +750 | +800 | +850 |
| Max Strus | +750 | +800 | +900 |
| Gabe Vincent | +1000 | +850 | +950 |
Max Strus took the first shot for the Heat in two of the three games so far, and he scored the first basket in Game 2. With so much focus on Adebayo and Jimmy Butler, Strus is seeing quality looks right out of the gate. He hasn’t been shooting the ball the best, but he is a quality shooter and is getting a lot of early looks.
Miami needs Strus to produce, and he hasn’t quite done so to this point of the series. The earlier a shooter sees a shot go down, the better off they are. Look for Strus to get another early look at the basket and start to make the Nuggets pay for all the clean looks from deep he has been seeing so far in the series.
And with +750 odds at DraftKings, a potentially nice payout awaits.
Best Player Prop Bets for Nuggets vs. Heat Game 4 on Friday
Nuggets coach Mike Malone continuously put Jokic and Murray in the pick-and-roll in Game 3, and there was nothing Miami could do to slow them down. If the Heat have a chance at winning another game, they need to figure out the two-man game of the Nuggets’ stars. Otherwise, the two are on pace for a historic Finals. The Heat to this point have struggled with Denver’s size on both sides of the ball.
Their best hope is to get hot from three, which they haven’t done consistently yet. A lot rides on coach Erik Spoelstra to figure things out.
Jamal Murray Over 5.5 Rebounds (+100 on FanDuel)
Murray and Jokic’s two-man game drew comparisons to Shaq and Kobe after their dominating performance in Game 3. The play led to quality looks all night long for the duo and their teammates. One of the biggest impacts is that it helped get Murray to the rim consistently with Adebayo out on the perimeter. If he didn’t make his shot, he was still in rebounding position, and that led to three offensive rebounds and 10 total for the game. That total was tied for second most of any player.
Additionally, he is playing the most minutes he has at any point of the playoffs. Malone made it clear that if the team goes down, it will go down with his two best players on the court. With more playing time and the potential to grab more offensive rebounds than he usually does, we like his odds of covering this wager.
Jimmy Butler Over 6.5 Assists (+110 on DraftKings)
The Nuggets defense was exceptional in Game 3, however, plenty of Heat players just missed open looks. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, and Kevin Love all struggled mightily from the field. Despite their struggles, Butler still finished with four assists. If any of them are slightly better from the field in Game 4, Butler should be around six to eight assists for the contest.
That’s been his average for the bulk of the playoffs thanks to his ability to attack the rim and draw in the defense to create open looks for his team. He did that in Game 3, but he wasn’t rewarded for it. Such bad shooting from a team that has been as hot as Miami isn’t likely in back-to-back games, especially at home with Spoelstra leading the way.
Jamal Murray to Record a Triple-Double (+1200 on Caesars)
Murray had the ball in his hands for a substantial amount of Game 3, which he played all but three minutes in. The pressure he created in the pick-and-roll was immense and created numerous amount of efficient shot attempts for himself and others. He finished the game with a triple-double and has recorded a double-double in every game of the series, thanks to points and assists.
Murray’s minutes and the Nuggets’ consistent use of the pick-and-roll with him leading the way puts him in a great position to cash this wager yet again. Given his streak, responsibilities, and time on the court, the value of this betting line seems too good to pass up.
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