DENVER (AP) — Nikola Jokic's 41 points couldn't keep the Denver Nuggets from losing at Ball Arena for the first time since March 30.
The Nuggets blew a 16-point lead over Miami in losing 111-108 to the No. 8-seeded Heat, who wrested the home-court advantage from top-seeded Denver.
“Miami came in and outworked us,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone complained. “...I told our guys if we would have won this game tonight, we would have stole one.”
They nearly pulled off the heist, too.
But Jamal Murray's 3-pointer in the closing seconds hit the front of the iron and Caleb Martin, replaced in the starting lineup by Kevin Love, corralled the rebound, handing the Nuggets their first loss in 10 home playoff games.
Denver hadn't lost at home in 66 days and came in with an NBA-best 43-7 home record, counting the playoffs.
But now the Nuggets haven't won in the postseason when Jokic scores 40 points, falling to 0-3. He had 28 of their 51 in the second half, forced for long stretches to shoulder the scoring load alone.
The crowd was loud as the Nuggets took an eight-point lead into the fourth quarter and appeared on their way to taking a 2-0 lead in the series. But Heat reserve Duncan Robinson scored 10 quick points and suddenly the Nuggets were in trouble.
The Heat took control with a 29-10 run to start the fourth quarter and take a 104-93 lead with less than five minutes left.
Jokic, averaging a triple-double in the playoffs, had 11 rebounds but just four assists.
Jokic also had a monster offensive game in the Nuggets' last loss in these playoffs, scoring 53 in a five-point defeat at Phoenix in Round 2.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored just six points before fouling out Sunday night and Michael Porter Jr. was held to just five.
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