Bruce Brown delivers for Denver Nuggets in Game 4 of NBA Finals
Denver Nuggets forward Bruce Brown (11) drives to the basket as Miami Heat forward Caleb Martin (16) and guard Kyle Lowry (7) defend during the second half of Game 4 of the basketball NBA Finals, Friday, June 9, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer
MIAMI (AP) — What can Brown do for the Denver Nuggets?
He has them one win from their first championship in franchise history.
Bruce Brown scored 21 points off the bench to help Denver beat the Miami Heat 108-95 in Game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday night. He was at his best after Nikola Jokic exited early in the fourth quarter because of foul trouble, helping the Nuggets weather the storm instead of blowing another double-digit lead.
It was the second time in as many games an unheralded Nuggets player helped seal a victory. Rookie Christian Braun — whose last name is also pronounced like “Brown” — scored 15 points in Game 3 on Wednesday.
“Bruce can hoop,” Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray said. “We got a bunch of guys that can come in and make an impact.”
Denver led by 10 when Jokic picked up his fifth foul with 9:24 left in the fourth. The lead shrank to as few as five points before Murray scored or assisted on 10 consecutive points.
In a stretch starting with just over five minutes left, Brown hit a running layup, made a couple of free throws, hit a pullup jumper and scored driving to the basket.
“Bruce Brown in the fourth quarter was amazing,” coach Michael Malone said.
