Heat vs. Nuggets Picks, Starters & Betting Odds: NBA Finals Game 2, 6/4

Author:
Steven Hall
Jun 2, 2023 9:56 AM EDT

Thursday night gave us the first game of the 2023 NBA Finals which saw Denver jump out to an early lead and never look back. Game 2 will be crucial for Miami to try and steal one on the road and even things up at one game a piece before heading back home. We were oh-so-close to hitting our +451 Same Game Parlay for Game 1 which can be found here , missing on just one leg.

Now, our experts are back, but this time, it’s with Heat vs. Nuggets picks for Game 2. The stakes have never been higher, so get in on the action today. You can even secure a DraftKings Sportsbook sign-up bonus in plenty of time for Game 2.

MIAMI HEAT VS. DENVER NUGGETS PREDICTION: Heat +9 (-110 at DraftKings Sportsbook)

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Projected Lineups for NBA Finals Game 2

We want to lay out the projected starters for Game 2 before getting into our Heat vs. Nuggets picks. There’s no real reason for either team to switch things up, so assuming they roll with the same Game 1 starting lineups, here’s what’s to be expected:

Miami Heat Starting Lineup:

Gabe Vincent - G
Max Strus - G
Caleb Martin - F
Jimmy Butler - F
Bam Adebayo - C

Denver Nuggets Starting Lineup:

Jamal Murray - G
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - G
Michael Porter Jr. - F
Aaron Gordon - F
Nikola Jokic - C

Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets NBA Finals Game 2 Predictions

It was an excellent start to the 2023 NBA Finals for the Denver Nuggets, jumping out to a 1-0 lead over the Miami Heat with Thursday’s 104-93 victory. They were led yet again by big man Nikola Jokic, who tallied another triple-double in this one. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. had double-doubles of their own, while Aaron Gordon pitched in with 16 points and six rebounds.

For Miami, they should actually feel some confidence despite losing the first game of the series. They lost by just 11 points in a game where Jimmy Butler scored only 13, Caleb Martin had just three and Max Strus was held scoreless. They shot terribly from the field (40.6%), yet a strong fourth quarter may have them trending in the right direction.

So, enough with the background information. You’re here to get Heat vs. Nuggets picks for Game 2, and we’re about to get into our official play below. Remember, you can tail our selection at DraftKings Sportsbook to earn a guaranteed $200 bonus regardless of your wager’s result.

Heat vs. Nuggets Game 2 Best Bets & NBA Finals Picks Including Heat +9

Our experts use all the information at their display in order to make their Game 2 Heat vs. Nuggets picks. With that being said, we’re choosing to side with the road team in this matchup as Miami should at least be able to keep this one close.

As was stated above, the Heat played quite terribly to only endure an 11-point loss. But when you look at the numbers, they really weren’t overmatched in any particular area. The only major discrepancies between these two squads in Game 1 was field goal percentage and fouls.

Miami had nearly double the amount of fouls as Denver, but if they can clean that up, there’s evidence to suggest that they’ll be right in this one until the end. And as much as it sounds like an excuse, the reality is that altitude plays a factor for all road teams traveling to Colorado. The slow start form the Heat in Game 1 could be due to that, and now they’ll have a full game under their belt in those conditions.

Asking a team to keep an NBA Finals game within single digits doesn't seem like too tough of an ask, especially for this pesky Heat team. We expect them to deliver a much stronger performance in Game 2 than they had in the first game and, at minimum, cover the 9-point spread in our Heat vs. Nuggets picks at DraftKings Sportsbook.

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Yes, you can place your qualifying wager on whatever you’d like, but why not put our Heat vs. Nuggets picks to the test? If our play comes through, you’ll be awarded both the winnings from the qualifying wager and those bonus bets totaling $200. Best of all, there’s not even a DraftKings promo code required to be eligible. Simply sign up here to activate your new-user promo and start your betting journey today.

Latest Betting Odds, Lines & Spreads for Heat vs. Nuggets Game 2 via DraftKings

All that’s left to do now is check out the latest odds and betting lines for the Heat vs. Nuggets Game 2 matchup. We’ve grabbed these from DraftKings Sportsbook and displayed them for you below:

Heat vs. Nuggets odds, lines and spreads for Game 2:

Money line: Miami Heat (+320) vs. Denver Nuggets (-390)
Point spread: Miami Heat +9 (-110) vs. Denver Nuggets -9 (-110)
Game total: Over 214 (-110) vs. Under 214 (-110)

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