Denver Nuggets too big, too strong for Miami Heat in Game 3 of NBA Finals

After building their largest lead of the night to that point midway through the third quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Denver Nuggets put on a rebounding clinic.

Aaron Gordon grabbed one on the defensive end after Miami's Max Strus missed, then Michael Porter Jr. came down with the ball off Jamal Murray's failed 3-point attempt. Porter got his own own rebound off a block - and when he missed, Gordon put it back up and in, and the score wasn't close the rest of the way.

It was their own personal game of shoot until you make it - and it spoke to the Nuggets being too big, too strong and too tough inside for the Heat in their 109-94 victory Wednesday night that put them up 2-1 in the series and one step closer to the first championship in franchise history.

Denver outrebounded Miami 65-41, and points in the paint were a lopsided 60-34. Nikola Jokic had 18 rebounds on the defensive end alone as part of his game-controlling triple-double.

While Jokic became the first player with 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a game in the finals, he had plenty of help on the glass. The Heat had few answers inside for Gordon and Murray, who each had 10 boards, and Porter with his seven.

With Denver looking for complementary help for Jokic and Murray - who had 14 points midway through the second quarter and finished with a game-high 34 that were the most by a Canada-born player in a finals game - Gordon stepped to the forefront. The 27-year-old forward had 11 points in 33:49 on the court.

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer