2023 NBA Finals Assist Leaders: Who is leading with the most assists?
The 2023 NBA Finals could wrap up tonight as the Denver Nuggets hold a 3-1 series lead against the Miami Heat before Game 5. Since the start of the Finals, the series has had many memorable moments from both teams, making this bout enjoyable.
Looking at how both teams have played, the Nuggets and Heat have played a team brand of basketball. The stars of the units have relied on others to put the ball through the hoop to increase their chances of winning the title. Jamal Murray has shown that he's a very capable player when it comes to sharing the rock.
Murray is the top player in terms of averaging the most assists in this year's Finals. He's averaging 10.5 assists through four games, which gives him a total of 42 assists in the series. His teammate, Nikola Jokic, trails him in the assists department. Jokic is averaging eight assists in the Finals.
In total, the Joker has racked up 32 assists for the Nuggets, including two games where he had 14 assists.
For the Heat, Jimmy Butler has done his best to share the ball with the rest of the team. He's averaging 6.8 assists in the Finals, bringing his total to 27 in four games. Although he's shared the ball with his squad, it hasn't been effective as Denver is one win away from winning the NBA title.
You might also be interested in reading this: "This man is different"- Nuggets fans applaud Nikola Jokic for another dominant performance in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals
Tyler Herro will play in Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals
The Heat have confirmed that Tyler Herro will make a return in Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals, after missing the majority of his team's postseason run. Herro hasn't played for Miami since he was injured during the first round of the playoffs against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Tyler Herro makes his return in tonight's pivotal Game 5!
#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV
MIA/DEN Game 5: 8:30 PM ET on ABC twitter.com/MiamiHEAT/stat… https://t.co/z6UYkjpGaI
Herro broke his hand in the first round and has been a staple on the Heat's bench in the playoffs. Without him, the team relied heavily on Butler and Bam Adebayo, who have both done an impressive job in leading the South Beach squad back to the NBA's biggest stage.
Prior to Game 5, the 2021-22 Sixth Man of the Year winner was listed as questionable. Without him, the Heat have struggled to produce points when their stars are resting.
Luckily for the Heat, undrafted players like Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Caleb Martin, and Duncan Robinson have stepped up their game. However, it's obvious that it isn't enough as Miami has found itself trailing and on the verge of losing the 2023 NBA Finals to the Nuggets.
Gabe Vincent led the Heat in scoring in Game 2 of the NBA Finals with 23 points.
He is currently the 397th highest paid player in the NBA. https://t.co/80hVD3iKvx
Also read: NBA Championship 2023 prize money: How much does the winning team get?