The Miami Heat outlasted the Denver Nuggets 147-123, as Nikola Jokic suffered a serious left knee injury on Monday evening.
Norman Powell led the Heat with 25 points, Nikola Jovic with 22, Jamie Jquez with 20, and Bam Adebayo returned from a two-game absence to grab 10 boards.
The teams were tied at 63 at halftime, with Jokic getting hurt about three seconds before the break, and scored 47 third-quarter points to take full control.
Nuggets had also won the last 11 regular-season matchups between the clubs and had not lost a game in Miami since 2018.
Despite leaving the game early, Jokic still led the Nuggets in scoring with 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds, while Jamaal Murray dropped 20, Spencer Jones and Tim Hardaway dropped 16 each.
Meanwhile, the Heat topped the 140-point mark for the eighth time in the 2025 calendar year.
Miami had seven such games from its inception in 1988 through 2024 combined.
Denver will be in Toronto on Wednesday, while the Heat at Detroit on Thursday.
