enver had no D Sunday night.

The Nuggets couldn’t defend against the Heat and couldn’t defend why a 21-point turnaround (from a 21-10 deficit to a 50-35 lead) was the reason they lost a splendid opportunity to go up 2-0.

So, now the Finals series is serious.

Even though Jamal Murray’s three-point fadeaway effort caromed off the rim at the buzzer and didn’t force overtime, the Nuggets already had lost Game 2 to the Heat because their defense was dreadful and Nikola Jokic got no assistance from the other four starters.

The Nuggets must win one in Miami Wednesday or Friday. Neither will be a night on the beach. No sweep.

The Heat’s five starters and five reserves out-played the Nuggets’ eight, and Eric Spoelstra certainly outcoached Michael Malone, who left with a timeout in his pocket. The Nuggets no longer are undefeated at home during the postseason, and the streak of consecutive playoff victories was stopped

suddenly.

Just as everybody watching the Finals in 214 countries around the world knew, the Heat would coerce Jokic, the greatest global player, into scoring, not passing. He ended with 41 points, but only four assists. Meanwhile, Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-pope, went from invincible in Game 1 to invisible in Game 2. Murray scored only 18 points, not 30; Porter looked lost on the court and had six measly points and five rebounds; Gordon finished with 12 and 7, and the Hyphen shooting guard was 1 of 3 from the three-point line and 1 of 4 overall.

The Joker would produce 41 points and 11 rebounds, but didn’t finished with his 10th playoff triple double because of just 4 assists. Spoeltra’s strategy was to have the Heat envelope everybody else. Murray ran in circles and couldn’t get open until late in the fourth quarter. Porter was worthless, and KCP had the same number of fouls as points (6).

After the Nuggets’ bench brought the Nuggets back in the first half, outscoring its Miami counterparts 20-5, the final outcome was even at 26, which means that the Heat had help from Duncan Robinson (10) and Kyle Lowery (9) as Bruce Brown, Jeff Green and Christian Braun eventually became Green chilly.

The Nuggets’ most extreme fear was that the Heat would make the three-pointers they missed in the opening game of the Finals, and that they would adjust their defensive scheme. It began with Kevin Love being inserted in the starting lineup and replacing Caleb Martin, who was no factor in the opener and had developed an illness since. Love gave the Heat size and NBA championship experience. Guards Gabe Vincent and Max Strus were left open at the arc because of the Nuggets’ nerdy defense and converted 8 of their 16 three-pointer attempts (and Caldwell-pope was called for fouls on two).

Love managed only six points, but contributed 10 rebounds and defense that was absent in the previous game, and get this: Jimmy Butler, who was more like Jimmy Buffet in Game 1, missed 15 tries, but he scored 21 with nine assists. Bam Adebayo has been the Wham-bam in the first two games. He was in command again Sunday with 21 points. Vincent, who the Nuggets have forgotten, led the Heat in scoring with 23. Strus had 14, and Duncan Robins added an important 10. The Heat swung the ball to the weakside more often and were left with unguard shots.

The beginning was indicative that the Nuggets weren’t running the Heat off the court. The Nuggets seemed like the team tired and timid and fell behind 21-10. They did respond to pull to within three at the first break and led 57-51 at halftime. But Malone, who had said after the series open that the Nuggets didn’t play well, knew the Nuggets were in trouble, and his words in the locker room and his moves on the court didn’t make a difference.

Jokic was working like Paul Bunyan, but the other Nuggets were playing like chimney sweeps.

After an 83-75 advantage at the third quarter the Nuggets forgot fundamentals, and the Heat scored 10 consecutive points to begin the fourth quarter to go up again. The Nuggets were scrambled eggs.

Murray finally was able to find some space, and the Heat was ahead by only three with a minute to go.

But Adebayo’s two free throws put Miami ahead 111-106 before Jokic made his last basket. Butler gagged with 14 seconds remaining, and Malone mistakenly didn’t called a timeout to set up a three-point possibility. Murray was pressured by Butler 26 feet away and couldn’t tie. Game 2 over.

The Nuggets couldn’t pull off the end game.

enver’s D was deficient, and the offense was offense.