Heat Torch Nuggets 147-123 as Jokic Injured; Wolves Rout Injured Bulls

The Miami Heat snapped a long-running jinx against the Denver Nuggets with a dominant 147-123 victory on Monday night (Tuesday, December 30, 2025, Philippine time), but the win was overshadowed by a concerning knee injury to reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.

Jokic Injury Mars Heated Battle

The game was tied 63-63 at halftime when disaster struck for Denver. With roughly three seconds left in the second quarter, Jokic moved to help defend a drive by Miami's Jaime Jaquez Jr. As he backpedaled, teammate Spencer Jones accidentally stepped on Jokic's left foot, causing the superstar center's knee to buckle. Jokic fell to the floor in clear pain, clutching his knee. He did not return after halftime and was evaluated in the locker room.

Despite playing only the first half, Jokic still led the Nuggets with 21 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. His absence, however, opened the floodgates.

Heat Explode in Historic Second Half

Seizing the moment, the Miami Heat came out of the break on fire. They erupted for a massive 47-point third quarter to blow the game open and never looked back. Norman Powell spearheaded the attack with a team-high 25 points. Nikola Jovic contributed 22 points, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20. Bam Adebayo, returning from a two-game absence, grabbed 10 rebounds.

The victory was significant for Miami, breaking a string of poor results against the defending champions. The Heat had lost 15 of their last 16 meetings with Denver, including the 2023 NBA Finals. Denver had also won the previous 11 regular-season matchups and hadn't lost in Miami since 2018.

The offensive outburst also marked a milestone: it was the eighth time in 2025 that Miami scored over 140 points. For context, from the franchise's 1988 inception through 2024, they had reached that mark only seven times total.

For Denver, Jamal Murray scored 20 points, while Spencer Jones and Tim Hardaway Jr. each had 16.

Timberwolves Capitalize on Bulls' Misfortune

In other NBA action, the Minnesota Timberwolves took full advantage of a Chicago Bulls team ravaged by injuries, cruising to a 136-101 road win. The Bulls lost their top two scorers during the game, crippling their chances.

Leading scorer Coby White exited in the first quarter with a right calf strain, an area that caused him to miss the season's first 11 games. Shortly after, second-leading scorer Josh Giddey left in the third quarter with an apparent left hamstring injury after scoring 11 points. Before the game, coach Billy Donovan also announced Zach Collins would miss several games with a toe sprain.

Minnesota's Naz Reid took over, pouring in a season-high 33 points off the bench. Star Anthony Edwards added 23 points. The Timberwolves broke the game open in the third quarter and shot 53.7% from the field after a slow start. Julius Randle finished with 17 points, while Donte DiVincenzo and Bones Hyland chipped in 12 each.

Chicago, which saw a five-game winning streak snapped, was led by Nikola Vucevic's 23 points. They shot just 40.9% and committed 16 turnovers to Minnesota's three. The game also marked veteran Mike Conley's 1,200th career NBA appearance.