NBA highlights on Feb. 29: Nuggets beat Heat in Finals rematch

The Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 103-97 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on Thursday, extending their winning streak to five games.

The Heat began the first rematch of last season's NBA Finals without three players of their regular rotations: Tyler Herro, Josh Richardson and Kevin Love. However, the Nuggets soon took a similar hit as their second-in-command Jamal Murray exited the game in the second quarter with an ankle sprain. He didn't return.

Michael Porter Jr., who struggled in the NBA Finals against the Heat last season, was one of the best-performing Nuggets on Thursday night. He shot 12-for-19 from the field in the first three quarters to score game-high 30 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks. He drained four triples and drove to finish multiple attacks near the rim by exploiting his 2.08-meter height and excellent athleticism.

Though Porter Jr. missed all four field goals (FG) of his in the fourth period, Nikola Jokic stepped out to carry the Nuggets' offense in this quarter. Four of his eight points were scored in the final minute, making sure that his side always sat on a two-play (at least four points) lead in spite of the opponents' fierce rally.

The other two of the Nuggets' starting lineup, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon, got 18 and 16 points in Thursday's game. Caldwell-Pope knocked down four 3-pointers out of eight attempts. Gordon went 4-for-6 under the hoop and 6-for-6 at the free throw line.

The Heat trailed by as many as 16 points (86-70) in the third period and missed 21 of their 26 triples on Thursday night. They were outsized by the opponents in nearly every position, which forced them to work harder on both ends of the game. Nonetheless, the Heat kept the competition from being long gone with aggressive defense that led to 10 steals and 15 turnovers by the Nuggets. These opportunities were all put into good use by the Heat to lead 12-9 in fast break points. They also did well in charging the rim to outscore the opponents 48-40 in the paint.

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler combined to drop 43 points and 15 rebounds for the Heat in Thursday's game. The two plus Terry Rozier earned 21 of the team's 24 free throws, but Butler missed three of his shots at the line. Rozier struggled from downtown, making only one of his eight attempts there. Caleb Martin contributed 13 points and team-high nine rebounds off the bench, including three on the offensive glass.

Other games on Thursday (away teams come first):

Golden State Warriors 110-99 New York Knicks

Stephen Curry bounced back after struggling in the past three consecutive games. He drained eight triples out of 18 attempts to score 31 points and 11 rebounds for the Warriors at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Jonathan Kuminga shot 12-for-17 in the paint to add 25 points. He also had five offensive rebounds plus, two steals and two blocks.

The Knicks shot as poorly as 36.8 percent from the field in Thursday's game at home. They grabbed 17 offensive rebounds, one more than the Warriors did, but got 14 fewer points (58-44) in the paint. Jalen Brunson was the team's only player who reached double-digit points in the paint, but he struggled to make only eight of his 20 jumpers.

Oklahoma City Thunder 118-132 San Antonio Spurs

The Thunder saw their six-game winning streak end on Thursday as they were upset by the league's bottom team, the Spurs, at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The home team's highest score was 28 points by Devin Vassell who also delivered nine assists, but rookie unicorn Victor Wembanyama outshined anyone else in the game.

The 20-year-old French big man went 9-for-17 in FGs to drop 28 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and five blocks. His side led by only three points (114-111) when there were five minutes left in the fourth quarter. Then he assisted one 3-pointer, made two himself for the Spurs to seal the deal with a 18-7 run.

On the Thunder's side, Shai Gilgeous Alexander got court-high 31 points. Chet Holmgren, who was seen by many as Wembanyama's life-time rival, contributed 23 points seven rebounds and five assists. However, after his step-back jumper was blocked by Wembanyama in the 1:50 in the final period, the contest for this season's Rookie of the Year award between the two talented young men was likely over.

Milwaukee Bucks 111-99 Charlotte Hornets

Utah Jazz 107-115 Orlando Magic

Atlanta Hawks 97-124 Brooklyn Nets

Houston Rockets 105-110 Phoenix Suns

Washington Wizards 131-134 Los Angeles Lakers