After Jamal Murray departed the game due to a sprained ankle, Michael Porter Jr. scored thirty points to help carry the scoring load. On Thursday night, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 103-97 after stifling their fourth-quarter comeback.

With 11 rebounds and 12 of 23 shooting, including four 3-pointers, Porter helped the Nuggets get to 5-0 since the All-Star break.

Denver, which had led 16 points in the fourth quarter, watched Miami close the gap to 99-97 thanks to a Jimmy Butler floating bank shot with 11 seconds left. The game was sealed by two clutch free throws from Nikola Jokic, who kept the Nuggets ahead the entire time.

With eighteen points, eleven rebounds, and seven assists in the end, Jokic broke his four-game triple-double streak. Of Denver’s 11 points in the final seconds, eight were scored by the two-time NBA MVP.

Murray stepped on Aaron Gordon’s leg following a drive to the basket, spraining his right ankle, and he departed the game just before halftime. This season, Murray has struggled with shin splints, right hamstring and ankle pain. He scored six points in total.

Butler scored 21 points and Bam Adebayo scored 22 for the Heat, who had won five straight games. Due to injury, Josh Richardson, Tyler Herro, and Kevin Love were not available for Miami.

Since their matchup in the NBA Finals in June of last year, this was the Heat and Nuggets’ first encounter. For their first NBA title, the Nuggets defeated the Heat in five games.

Both sides were on a roll coming into the match. After thrashing Sacramento, Denver was on the pitch for the second straight night.

Big man Thomas Bryant of the Heat, who was a part of Denver’s championship run the previous season, was honoured with a pregame ring ceremony by the Nuggets. After receiving his title ring from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during a pregame ceremony at half-court, Bryant exited the arena right thereafter.

Since it was the Heat’s only trip to Denver, the NBA granted Bryant permission to attend the game. On game evenings, suspended players are normally not permitted to attend the arena. Following his involvement in a fight that occurred during a Heat game against New Orleans last week, Bryant completed his three-game ban.