Ware and the Heat take on Jokic and the Nuggets

By Canadian Press on December 28, 2025.

Denver Nuggets (22-9, third in the Western Conference) vs. Miami Heat (17-15, seventh in the Eastern Conference)

Miami; Monday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: The Denver Nuggets take on the Miami Heat in a non-conference matchup.

The Heat have gone 11-5 in home games. Miami is ninth in the Eastern Conference in team defense, allowing only 117.4 points while holding opponents to 45.4% shooting.

The Nuggets are 12-4 on the road. Denver leads the Western Conference scoring 125.8 points per game while shooting 51.3%.

The Heat average 120.2 points per game, 2.7 more points than the 117.5 the Nuggets give up. The Nuggets average 8.4 more points per game (125.8) than the Heat give up to opponents (117.4).

The two teams match up for the second time this season. The Nuggets defeated the Heat 122-112 in their last meeting on Nov. 6. Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 33 points, and Norman Powell led the Heat with 23 points.

TOP PERFORMERS: Kel’el Ware is averaging 12.4 points and 10.6 rebounds for the Heat. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is averaging 28.0 points over the last 10 games.

Jokic is scoring 29.9 points per game with 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists for the Nuggets. Jamal Murray is averaging 24.0 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting 42.9% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Heat: 3-7, averaging 112.6 points, 45.3 rebounds, 24.7 assists, 9.2 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 115.1 points per game.

Nuggets: 7-3, averaging 127.3 points, 41.9 rebounds, 30.2 assists, 7.9 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 51.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 120.7 points.

INJURIES: Heat: Bam Adebayo: day to day (back), Tyler Herro: day to day (toe).

Nuggets: Cameron Johnson: out (knee), Christian Braun: out (ankle), Aaron Gordon: out (hamstring), Tamar Bates: out (foot).

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

The Associated Press