MIAMI -- — Norman Powell scored 25 points and the Miami Heat pulled away in the second half to beat Denver 147-123 in a game where the Nuggets saw superstar Nikola Jokic limp off the court with a knee injury.

The teams were tied at 63 at halftime, with Jokic getting hurt with about three seconds left before the intermission. Miami then scored 47 third-quarter points to take full control.

Nikola Jovic scored 22 points, Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 and Bam Adebayo returned from a two-game absence to grab 10 rebounds for the Heat, who had gone 1-15 in their last 16 games against Denver — the one win coming in five-game defeat to the Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals.

Denver had also won the last 11 regular-season matchups between the clubs and hadn't lost a game in Miami since 2018.

But everything changed after halftime, with Jokic remaining in the locker room areas for evaluation.

Jokic still led the Nuggets in scoring with 21 points, along with eight assists and five rebounds. Jamal Murray scored 20 for Denver and Spencer Jones — who stepped on Jokic's left foot on the play where the three-time MVP was injured — scored 16 for the Nuggets, as did Tim Hardaway Jr.

Jokic was alone under the basket and appeared to step forward to help Denver’s Spencer Jones defend a drive by Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. as time was about to expire in the second quarter. While backtracking, Jones stepped on Jokic’s left foot and it seemed the center’s knee buckled.

Jokic collapsed to the court, grabbing at the knee and writhing in pain.

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.

Up next

Nuggets: At Toronto on Wednesday night.

Heat: At Detroit on Thursday night.

------

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Nikola Jokic vs. Kel'el Ware (Jamal Murray gains possession)	0	0
11:38	Nikola Jokic misses 24-foot three point jumper	0	0
11:36	Nuggets offensive team rebound	0	0
11:33	Davion Mitchell blocks Peyton Watson 's 1-foot layup	0	0
11:30	Bam Adebayo defensive rebound	0	0
11:24	Norman Powell lost ball turnover (Spencer Jones steals)	0	0
11:20	Jamal Murray misses 24-foot running jump shot	0	0
11:14	Jamal Murray offensive rebound	0	0
11:13	Jamal Murray bad pass turnover (Andrew Wiggins steals)	0	0
11:05	Bam Adebayo makes 10-foot pullup jump shot	2	0
10:52	Bam Adebayo shooting foul	2	0
10:52	Nikola Jokic makes free throw 1 of 2	2	1
10:52	Nikola Jokic makes free throw 2 of 2	2	2
10:33	Andrew Wiggins misses 25-foot three point jumper	2	2
10:30	Jamal Murray defensive rebound	2	2
10:22	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 16-foot pullup jump shot	2	2
10:18	Bam Adebayo defensive rebound	2	2
10:12	Bam Adebayo misses 11-foot two point shot	2	2
10:08	Nikola Jokic defensive rebound	2	2
10:03	Peyton Watson lost ball turnover (Andrew Wiggins steals)	2	2
9:59	Andrew Wiggins makes running dunk	4	2
9:44	Jamal Murray makes 13-foot step back jumpshot (Nikola Jokic assists)	4	4
9:32	Bam Adebayo makes 4-foot two point shot	6	4
9:18	Andrew Wiggins shooting foul	6	4
9:18	Peyton Watson misses free throw 1 of 2	6	4
9:18	Nuggets offensive team rebound	6	4
9:18	Peyton Watson makes free throw 2 of 2	6	5
9:15	Norman Powell makes 26-foot three point jumper (Davion Mitchell assists)	9	5
9:02	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes driving layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	9	7
9:02	Andrew Wiggins shooting foul	9	7
9:02	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes free throw 1 of 1	9	8
8:49	Norman Powell makes 21-foot pullup jump shot (Davion Mitchell assists)	11	8
8:36	Jamal Murray misses driving layup	11	8
8:34	Kel'el Ware defensive rebound	11	8
8:30	Davion Mitchell misses running layup	11	8
8:23	Bam Adebayo offensive rebound	11	8
8:23	Bam Adebayo misses tip shot	11	8
8:23	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	11	8
8:18	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 25-foot three point jumper	11	8
8:14	Kel'el Ware defensive rebound	11	8
8:05	Bam Adebayo out of bounds lost ball turnover	11	8
7:53	Davion Mitchell personal foul	11	8
7:45	Tim Hardaway Jr. makes 16-foot step back jumpshot (Nikola Jokic assists)	11	10
7:33	Kel'el Ware makes alley oop dunk (Davion Mitchell assists)	13	10
7:22	Nikola Jokic makes 9-foot driving floating jump shot	13	12
7:09	Norman Powell misses 23-foot three point jumper	13	12
7:07	Norman Powell offensive rebound	13	12
7:05	Norman Powell makes 8-foot two point shot	15	12
6:47	Tim Hardaway Jr. misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	12
6:44	Bam Adebayo defensive rebound	15	12
6:38	Bam Adebayo misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	12
6:34	Tim Hardaway Jr. defensive rebound	15	12
6:27	Jamal Murray makes layup (Nikola Jokic assists)	15	14
6:17	Heat Full timeout	15	14
6:17	Jaime Jaquez Jr. enters the game for Andrew Wiggins	15	14
6:17	Pelle Larsson enters the game for Kel'el Ware	15	14
6:17	Bruce Brown enters the game for Tim Hardaway Jr.	15	14
6:02	Davion Mitchell misses 25-foot three point jumper	15	14
5:58	Spencer Jones defensive rebound	15	14
5:38	Jamal Murray misses driving floating jump shot	15	14
5:34	Bam Adebayo defensive rebound	15	14
5:33	Bam Adebayo bad pass turnover (Jamal Murray steals)	15	14
5:28	Nikola Jokic makes alley oop dunk (Jamal Murray assists)	15	16
5:16	Pelle Larsson makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jaime Jaquez Jr. assists)	18	16
4:55	Nikola Jokic lost ball turnover (Norman Powell steals)	18	16
4:49	Jaime Jaquez Jr. makes running layup (Davion Mitchell assists)	20	16
4:36	Jamal Murray makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Nikola Jokic assists)	20	18
4:20	Jaime Jaquez Jr. makes driving layup (Davion Mitchell assists)	22	18
4:03	Norman Powell shooting foul	22	18
4:03	Peyton Watson makes free throw 1 of 2	22	19
4:03	Dru Smith enters the game for Bam Adebayo	22	19
4:03	Nikola Jovic enters the game for Davion Mitchell	22	19
4:03	Zeke Nnaji enters the game for Spencer Jones	22	19
4:03	Peyton Watson makes free throw 2 of 2	22	20
3:55	Norman Powell makes 12-foot step back jumpshot	24	20
3:55	Peyton Watson shooting foul	24	20
3:55	Norman Powell makes free throw 1 of 1	25	20
3:36	Bruce Brown makes 22-foot three point jumper (Nikola Jokic assists)	25	23
3:20	Dru Smith makes 22-foot three point jumper (Norman Powell assists)	28	23
3:03	Nikola Jokic misses driving floating jump shot	28	23
3:00	Dru Smith defensive rebound	28	23
2:56	Norman Powell misses running pullup jump shot	28	23
2:52	Jamal Murray defensive rebound	28	23
2:32	Jamal Murray misses 22-foot pullup jump shot	28	23
2:28	Pelle Larsson defensive rebound	28	23
2:25	Nikola Jovic makes running layup	30	23
2:25	Zeke Nnaji shooting foul	30	23
2:25	Nuggets Full timeout	30	23
2:25	Andrew Wiggins enters the game for Norman Powell	30	23
2:25	Tim Hardaway Jr. enters the game for Peyton Watson	30	23
2:25	Julian Strawther enters the game for Jamal Murray	30	23
2:25	Nikola Jovic makes free throw 1 of 1	31	23
2:18	Julian Strawther lost ball turnover (Dru Smith steals)	31	23
2:16	Tim Hardaway Jr. personal foul	31	23
2:05	Nikola Jovic makes 8-foot driving floating jump shot (Andrew Wiggins assists)	33	23
1:49	Nikola Jokic misses 26-foot three point jumper	33	23
1:46	Andrew Wiggins defensive rebound	33	23
1:38	Nikola Jovic makes 27-foot three point jumper (Andrew Wiggins assists)	36	23
1:16	Zeke Nnaji makes 1-foot layup (Julian Strawther assists)	36	25
1:08	Nikola Jovic misses 25-foot three point jumper	36	25
1:05	Bruce Brown defensive rebound	36	25
1:00	Bruce Brown makes running layup	36	27
52.5	Andrew Wiggins makes 5-foot layup (Jaime Jaquez Jr. assists)	38	27
35.6	Nikola Jokic bad pass turnover (Andrew Wiggins steals)	38	27
35.6	Zeke Nnaji personal foul	38	27
24.9	Dru Smith makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jaime Jaquez Jr. assists)	41	27
4.3	Nikola Jokic makes 5-foot two point shot (Tim Hardaway Jr. assists)	41	29
1.1	Andrew Wiggins misses 29-foot three point pullup jump shot	41	29
0.1	Heat offensive team rebound	41	29
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	41	29

Related Tags

Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat Live StreamWatch Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat FreeNuggets vs Heat Live ScoreDEN vs MIA GameNBA Stream Denver NuggetsNBA Stream Miami HeatKaseya CenterNBA Live StreamBasketball Streams

Explore More

Denver Nuggets Standings Miami Heat Standings Denver Nuggets Stats Miami Heat Stats NBA Standings NBA Schedule

Article Sections

Check all game sections

Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

Kaseya Center

Miami, FL

Date & Time

12:30 AM, December 30, 2025

Coverage

FanDuel SN Sun, Altitude 2 Sports, NBA League Pass

Attendance

20,047

Referees

Jacyn Goble, Karl Lane, Danielle Scott

2025-26 Northwest Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Oklahoma City	40	13	.755	L2
Denver	34	19	.642	W1
Minnesota	32	22	.593	L2
Portland	25	28	.472	W2
Utah	16	37	.302	L2

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Orlando	27	24	.529	W2
Miami	28	26	.519	W1
Atlanta	26	28	.481	L1
Charlotte	25	28	.472	W9
Washington	14	38	.269	L2

Need Help?

Explore our comprehensive NBA streams guide for all available options and platform comparisons.

View Streaming Guide

Heat

Nuggets

Jokic gets hurt late in 1st half, Heat pull away from there to top Nuggets

Game Analysis

Regular Season Series

Game Analysis

Game Stats

Game Article

Game Recap

Up next

Play by Play

Play By Play

Related Tags

Explore More