December 30th - The Miami Heat defeated the Denver Nuggets 147-123 . Eight Heat players scored in double figures, with Powell leading the way with 25 points and Hex contributing 20 points and 11 assists, showcasing the Heat's strong teamwork. Nuggets' star Nikola Jokic left the game early due to injury after scoring 21 points, a crucial turning point in the game; Murray added 20 points and 11 assists, but it wasn't enough to prevent the loss.

In the first quarter, the Heat dominated both ends of the court, quickly establishing a double-digit lead. Powell was on fire, contributing 10 points in the quarter, helping the Heat finish the first quarter with a 41-29 lead. In the second quarter, the Nuggets, led by Jokic and Murray, briefly erased the deficit and even took the lead. The first half ended with the score tied at 63 .

After switching sides, the Heat quickly widened the gap, leading by as much as 17 points. Powell continued his hot streak, adding 13 more points in the quarter. Although the Nuggets tried to catch up thanks to Jones' outside shooting, their overall offense was no match, and the Heat led 110-99 after three quarters . In the final quarter, the Heat maintained their high-intensity offense, quickly extending their lead to 27 points.

Nuggets player statistics

Jokic 21 points , 5 rebounds, 8 assists; Murray 20 points, 6 rebounds , 11 assists; Hardaway 16 points , 3 rebounds, 2 assists; Jones 16 points , 3 rebounds, 1 assist; Brown 15 points , 5 rebounds , 2 assists; Watson 11 points, 2 rebounds , 1 assist; Valanciunas 6 points , 4 rebounds , 1 assist; Nagy 4 points; Strausser 4 points , 1 rebound , 1 assist

Heat player statistics

Powell 25 points , 1 rebound , 4 assists; Jovic 22 points , 4 rebounds , 5 assists; Harks 20 points , 3 rebounds, 11 assists; Wiggins 19 points , 5 rebounds, 6 assists; Weir 19 points, 9 rebounds; Adebayo 13 points , 10 rebounds, 4 assists; Smith 11 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist; Mitchell 10 points, 3 rebounds , 9 assists