Takeaways From Miami Heat's Loss Against Denver Nuggets In Game 3

Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray recorded 30-point triple-doubles in the Denver Nuggets victory against the Miami Heat

In their first Finals home game since 2014, the Miami Heat still showed signs of inconsistency.

After keeping it close in the first half, they couldn’t grab a lead in the second. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic became the first teammates in NBA history to record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game and the Denver Nuggets regained home court advantage with a 2-1 series lead.

Here are some takeaways from the game:

-After a cold stretch, Jimmy Butler had his best game of the series. But because the role players slacked, he didn’t have much of a choice. He scored 28 points and got to his spots easily. He got a huge amount of great looks, shooting 45 percent. It was a much better improvement from Game 2 when he shot 36 percent.

-Max Strus was one of the players who slacked. After having a huge Game 2 performance, he finished with just a 3-pointer on 14 percent shooting. He had four rebounds and five assists but his shooting is what was needed.

-Bam Adebayo got it going early. He only shot 33 percent from the field but at halftime, he already had a double-double. It could be attributed to the first quarter adjustment of Aaron Gordon defending him instead of Nikola Jokic. He finished the game with 22 points and 17 rebounds.

-Migraines and cold chills affect Caleb Martin’s recent performances. But he seems to be feeling better. After combining for six points in Games 1 and 2, he finished with 10 points to lead the bench.

-Gabe Vincent has been one of the major highlights of the series. But he had one of the worst games of the playoffs. He was limited to just seven points and shot the ball poorly. He also found himself in early foul trouble, collecting three in the first half.

-The Heat’s reserves had an impact lately but their efforts took a decline. Besides Martin, Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson were the only ones who scored points. The coaching staff might get criticized for cutting Haywood Highsmith’s minutes after a great performance in Game 1. He only played the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and six total in Game 2.

Cory Nelson is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson. You can also check out his personal blog HERE.