NBA Finals: Jimmy Butler Reflects on Frustrating Game 3 vs Nuggets

• The Miami Heat are now 1-2 down in the 2023 NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets
• They were outrebounded 58-33, and Jimmy Butler is not happy with his team's energy in Game 3
• Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray recorded triple-doubles for the Nuggets

The Miami Heat fell to 1-2 in the 2023 NBA Finals after losing Game 3 109-94 to the Denver Nuggets in their first conference finals at home in nine years.

The Heat had a rugged shooting night and were outmuscled by a hungry Nuggets team. Jimmy Butler was unhappy with his team's effort and energy.

As a team, the Heat shot 34-of-92 (37%) from the field and made 11 of their 35 three-point attempts. Interestingly, the Nuggets made only five three-pointers and managed to pull off a hard-fought win.

The Heat struggled to rebound all night. They were outrebounded 58-33, with three Nuggets players recording double-figures in rebounds.

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For the Heat, Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 17 rebounds. No other Heat player had more than four rebounds. Moreover, only two Heat players scored in double figures. Butler had 28 points, per the Athletic.

Nuggets' Nikola Jokic (32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Jamal Murray (34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists) recorded triple-doubles, becoming the first pair of teammates to register 30-point triple-doubles in the same regular-season or postseason game, per ESPN.

Butler questions Heat energy

Butler was disappointed with the team's energy in Game 3 and promised to set the tone in Game 4. He couldn't understand why they didn't turn up in Game 3.

"Maybe we're at home; we think we did something. I don't know. It just can't happen. It won't happen again. It starts with myself. I have to lock in on the defensive end. I have to go up and get loose balls. I think if I start playing and doing that, then everybody else has to follow suit."

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Butler knows what needs to happen in game 4.

"That's on us as a group. No X's and O's can fix that. So come out, dive on the floor, get loose balls, get defensive rebounds and maybe, just maybe, it would have been a different game."

Jokic and Butler make history

Sports Brief recently reported on Jokic and Butler making history in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals.

Jokic became the first NBA center to record at least 500 points and 100 assists in one postseason following his spectacular performance in Game 2.

Butler became the third Heat player to rack up 500 points, 100 rebounds, and 100 assists in a single postseason following his performance in Game 2 against the Nuggets.