How Jokic and Murray beat the Heat

Obviously, the big story coming out of Game 3 is Nikola Jokic putting up the first 30-point, 20-rebound triple-double in NBA Finals history, and Jamal Murray joining him with a 30-point triple-double of his own. But more than the numbers themselves, the way they were accumulated is what interests me.

As Dan Devine noted, the Nuggets ran 32 Murray-Jokic pick and rolls in Game 3, tied for their most in any game this season. By my count, 12 of Jokic’s 32 points came out of either delayed pocket passes or switches leading to post-ups out of this action alone. It was just a parade of mid-paint floaters and flip shots. That was the most points Jokic scored directly as the screener in a Murray pick and roll in any game this season — and tied for the most he’s scored in any game in their careers.

Murray also got six points on the drive and four points on a pull-ups, out of this action and they each came away with an assist due to tilted coverage.