MIAMI — The Denver Nuggets were fired up entering Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals, which ignited them to a 109-94 road victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.

And it was fueled by a postgame speech following Game 2 that no one in the locker room saw coming.

After the Nuggets dropped Game 2 on Sunday, 111-108, Bleacher Report learned that Jeff Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and DeAndre Jordan called out the team in the locker room for a lackadaisical, lethargic effort.

"We were frustrated with how we played and the effort we gave out," Caldwell-Pope told B/R. "We all had the same message. We can't have that type of energy going into Game 2. We have to want it more than Miami. It was unacceptable. We've been in this situation before, and I love the way we reacted tonight."

Green provided insight into his message after Game 2.

"I said this Miami team is going to fight and they're going to battle," he told B/R. "The lows that we had in that game were unacceptable, especially at this point in the season. We just had to be better."

Green, Caldwell-Pope and Jordan are the consistent vocal leaders of this Nuggets team. Their voices are a constant, both on and off the court. And after such a deflating loss inside Ball Arena, the team's first home loss of the postseason, their voices were expected. That's typically how matters are communicated amongst themselves before reporters are allowed into the locker room.

But there was one more voice on this occasion, B/R learned: Nikola Jokić. The two-time MVP felt the need to address the team as well.

"It caught us all by surprise. It was unexpected," Jordan told B/R after Game 3. "When Nikola says something, everybody's awareness is heightened. I always compare him to a guy like Tim Duncan. He's never really super boisterous, but when he does speak, it speaks volumes. Me, Jeff Green, DJ, Ish [Smith], KCP, we'll always give our two cents on things we see during the game, but Nikola saying something elevated the message. I've been on him more about being more vocal, and even in tonight's game, he was extremely vocal and it was good for our team."

Jokić didn't speak long, but he got his point across.

"His message was basically that we can't be relaxed," Jordan revealed to B/R. "We've got to have more fight, more energy, and pay attention to the game plan. And leading up to Game 3, in practice and shootaround, everyone was hyper-focused, and that transferred over into the game."

"When you hear him talking after a game, you make sure you listen," Caldwell-Pope told B/R. "He's not a real big vocal guy. He shows it more on the court. He leads that way. But he definitely had everyone's attention, and it worked out for us tonight."

While he walked to the bus Wednesday evening, Jokić told B/R why he spoke up after Game 2.

"Honestly, I don't remember that I was talking. So if I was saying something, I don't remember what I was saying," Jokić told B/R with a snicker but in all sincerity. "Maybe it was just my emotions at the time. I don't remember, to be honest. Maybe they're just all crazy. But I think I'm normal. When I say something, it's not that I'm trying to be vocal. There's a purpose. When I see something, I'm going to say it. I'm never going to talk just to talk."

The Nuggets played with vigor inside Kaseya Center and completely extracted the energy out of the building in the second half as they continued to build upon their lead. Miami couldn't put enough stops together to come within striking distance before time expired.

The duo of Jokić and Jamal Murray was too overbearing, as they became the first two teammates in NBA Finals history to register a triple-double in the same game. Jokić finished with 32 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists, while Murray tallied 34 points, 10 boards and 10 dimes.

Now down 2-1, the Heat are up against it for Game 4 on Friday. The Nuggets retook control of the series, and if they're able to repeat Wednesday's result on Friday, they'll have a chance to close the series out at home on Monday.

Game 2 and Game 3 were exact opposites for the Nuggets, and the turnaround was vocally spearheaded by Jokić.

"Game 2 was a wake-up call for us," Caldwell-Pope told B/R. "It forced guys to step out of their comfort zones. Nikola got our attention."