(Reuters) – The defending champion Miami Heat claimed a rare road win over the Denver Nuggets 98-93 on Thursday despite being without the services of eight-times All-Star Dwayne Wade.
The Heat led throughout but needed to survive a late Nuggets rally to claim a first victory in Denver since January 2002.
Despite trailing by as many as 19 points on the night, the Nuggets (4-5) were just one behind with 65 seconds remaining but Danilo Gallinari’s wide-open three-point shot fell woefully short. Norris Cole then stuck a dagger in the home fans heart by nailing a triple of his own just 14 seconds later after three-time league MVP and eight-times All-Star Lebron James trusted him with the shot and fed him the ball.
“We just have high self esteem and we have confidence in everybody’s ability that is on the floor,” James, who usually loves making the clutch plays down the stretch, said of the play.
“I was happy to see him knock it down.
“They made their run, they’re a great team at home but we were able to withstand them,” James told reporters.
Wade sat out the contest at the Pepsi Center in Denver after spraining his left foot earlier this week against the Los Angeles Clippers but the Heat overcame his absence to move to 7-3.
