Nuggets vs. Heat Picks, Injuries & Game 3 Betting Odds: NBA Finals, 6/7
After dropping the opening matchup of the 2023 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat defeated the Nuggets 111-108 in Denver for a key Game 2 victory, tying the series at a game apiece. The series will now head to Miami, where the Heat will assume the role as the home team.
Below, we’ll provide our top Nuggets vs. Heat picks for Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals, and explain how you can earn up to $1,000 in first-bet insurance with BetMGM Sportsbook.
NUGGETS VS. HEAT PREDICTION: Heat on the money line (+120 at BetMGM Sportsbook)
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Injury Reports Heading Into NBA Finals Game 3
Here are both team’s full injury reports heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals:
- Miami Heat injury report:
G Tyler Herro (hand) – Questionable – Herro missed Game 2 as he recovers from a hand injury. It is unlikely that he will play in Game 3, but there is an outside chance he suits up. He reportedly played 2-on-2 Saturday and is aiming to return at some point during the finals.
G Victor Oladipo (knee) - Out - Oladipo underwent knee surgery in April and will miss the remainder of the season.
- Denver Nuggets injury report:
G Collin Gillespie (leg) - Out - Gillespie is out for the season with a leg injury.
Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat Game 3 Predictions for the NBA Finals
After the Nuggets held an eight-point lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Heat showed incredible fight in Game 2, scoring 36 points in the final quarter to edge out the Nuggets by three points in their 111-108 victory. They had to overcome another monster Nikola Jokic performance (41 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists) in the victory.
Beyond Jokic, the Nuggets’ primary offensive contributor was Jamal Murray (18 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists). Outside of these two players, the Nuggets were unable to get much going offensively; however, that’s not exactly unusual for Denver, who primarily relies on Jokic and Murray in their scoring attack.
On the other hand, the Heat had five players score double-digit points, including three who surpassed 20: Jimmy Butler (21 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists), Bam Adebayo (21 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists) and Gabe Vincent (23 points, 3 assists).
While the Nuggets outshot the Heat 52-48.7% from the field, the Heat were much more efficient from beyond the arc (48.6% to 39.3%) and the foul stripe (90% to 86.4%). The turnover battle was close – 13 to 11 in favor of the Heat – and both teams committed nearly an identical number of fouls (the Heat’s 22 to Denver’s 21).
The primary reason Miami was able to come back and take home the victory in Game 2 was their three-point shooting. The Nuggets’ perimeter defense was lacking – particularly down the stretch – so that will likely be a focus of Miami’s offensive gameplan in Game 3.
If Miami can continue their efficiency from beyond the arc, they’ll have the ability to beat Denver regardless of Jokic’s performance. Still, a 48.6% three-point rate is not likely to be sustainable; as a result, Miami will need some help from big man Bam Adebayo if they hope to take a 2-1 series lead on their home court.
From Denver’s perspective, another reason Miami came out on top in Game 2 was their comparatively better play from their role players. If Denver wants to take this game from the Heat on their home court, they will need significantly improved performances from their second unit. If not, Miami will be able to cut into any lead generated by Jokic and Murray as soon as they’re off the court.
With these factors in mind, our top Nuggets vs. Heat pick for Game 3 is for Miami to win outright and cash in on their (+120) money line odds on BetMGM. We think that Miami’s hot three-point shooting and more varied offense contributions (combined with home-court advantage) will serve them well, so we’d rather take the bettor-friendly (+120) odds than the 2.5-point spread at (-110).
If you agree with our analysis and want to tail our Nuggets vs. Heat picks, click this link to sign up with BetMGM. Once you register, make a deposit of at least $10 and bet $10 or more on any sports market (such as our Nuggets vs. Heat picks), you’ll qualify to earn your entire first bet back in bonus credits if it loses. No promo code is required.
Game 3 Picks & Nuggets vs. Heat Best Bets Including Nikola Jokic
As Game 2 showed, the Nuggets’ offense is entirely centered around superstar center Nikola Jokic. In Game 2, he scored 41 points and added 11 rebounds and four assists, far-and-away the top performer for Denver.
This has been a consistent theme across both the regular season and playoffs for Denver, and we don’t expect that to change in Game 3. As a result, another of our top Nuggets vs. Heat picks is for Jokic to surpass his combined points + rebounds prop, currently set at 40.5 (over -115) on BetMGM.
Jokic reached that mark easily in Game 2, though he fell just short in Game 1. With Miami holding the momentum and home-court advantage, we expect Jokic to be even more involved than usual.
We wouldn’t be surprised to see him surpass his 40.5 points + rebounds prop in points alone, but the fact that Jokic has posted 10 rebounds or more in eight of his last ten games bodes well for this prop to hit.
If you agree with our analysis on Jokic and want to tail our Nuggets vs. Heat picks, click this link to sign up with BetMGM. Once you sign up using a link from this article, make a deposit of $10 or more and place your first bet of at least $10, you’ll qualify to earn your entire first bet back in bonus credits, up to $1,000, if it loses. Remember, no promo code is required.
How to Follow Miami with $1,000 Worth of Bet Insurance Thanks to BetMGM Sportsbook
BetMGM’s new-user promotion is a great way to bet on our Nuggets vs. Heat picks above without draining your bankroll if they lose. To qualify for this promotion, you’ll need to satisfy the following conditions:
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Once you complete the steps outlined above, you’ll earn your entire first bet back in bonus credits (up to $1,000) if it loses. No promo code is required – just sign up using the link above to ensure you qualify.
Latest Nuggets vs. Heat Odds, Betting Lines & Spreads for Game 3 at BetMGM
Here are the latest betting odds for the Nuggets vs. Heat Game 3 matchup, per BetMGM Sportsbook:
- Money line: Nuggets (-145), Heat (+120)
- Point spread: Nuggets -2.5 (-110), Heat +2.5 (-110)
- Total: Over 215.5 (-110), Under 215.5 (-110)
If you’re ready to tail our top Nuggets vs. Heat picks above, hurry over to BetMGM and sign up by clicking on this link. Once you sign up using a link from this article, make a deposit of at least $10 and bet $10 or more on any of our Nuggets vs. Heat picks, you’ll earn your first bet back in bonus credits if it loses, up to $1,000. As a reminder, no promo code is needed – just sign up using a link provided here to qualify.
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