Nuggets vs. Heat: The NBA Finals Matchup Nobody Expected
The stage is finally set to see who will win the Larry O’Brien trophy.
For the first time in the franchises 47 years the Denver Nuggets are going to the NBA Finals.
For the second time in four years, seventh time overall, the Miami Heat are in the NBA Finals.
Both teams have went through the fire to get to the big stage. The Nuggets held down Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns in the second round. They shut down Lebron James, Anthony Davis and the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference finals.
For the Miami Heat they were the ultimate survivor.
Literary.
The Heat survived the “Play-In,” and proceeded to stun the Association by beating down the heavily favored Milwaukee Bucks in the first round, stunning the New York Knicks in Round Two, and avoiding total infamy by surviving a blown 3-0 series lead to beat the Boston Celtics in seven games in the Eastern Conference finals.
So here we are with an NBA Finals nobody expected. I know, you were expected Lakers-Celtics? Maybe Warriors-Celtics? Perhaps Suns vs. Knicks? Nope. Nope. And, nope again!
This postseason has shown how tough and evenly matched these teams are, especially when teams knock down their shots and play a little bit of defense.
There are a lot of questions that will be answered throughout this series.
Can Bam Adebayo prevent Nikola Jokic’s triple doubles?
Who can slow down Jamal Murray?
Do the Heat have enough to win?
If Tyler Herro comes back, how will he affect the series?
The #NBAFinals are here.
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 1, 2023
Who ya got? pic.twitter.com/rKGcLQPTVn
The Nuggets are in a tough position going against the Heat. Jimmy Butler is a matchup nightmare; he is too big and strong for guards and too fast for forwards. The Nuggets will more than likely call on Aaron Gordan to try and contain Butler. Gordon is the Nuggets best defensive player he has guarded Lebron James, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kevin Durant. He did well against them in his own right. Now an advantage he will have is that Butler is not known for three point shooting but it’s the Finals he will shoot them with a hand in his face. The Nuggets will try to throw Jimmy off by throwing multiple bodies at him.
Who has more to lose in the #NBAFinals, Jokic and Jimmy Butler?#Heat #Nuggets pic.twitter.com/HJuBNbYCwP
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 1, 2023
The Heat are the best at developing talent as we have seen. Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson have been instrumental in helping the Heat get to the finals. They are all undrafted players who keep outplaying their competition who is usually more talented than them. This will be the toughest stage to play on but with Butler leading them and coach Erik Spoelstra on the sidelines they will be put in the best position to win.
Speaking of coach Spoelstra, if he is not considered one of the best coaches ever, he should be. To take an eighth seed to the finals will the talent he has is more than amazing. He is not afraid to switch up his line-ups and is one of the best at in game adjustments. Spoelstra can be the X-factor and can test Nuggets coach Mike Malone in ways he has never been tested.
A player to watch for is Jamal Murray for the past few years we kept hearing about “bubble Murray” and that has been put to rest. His play in the Western Conference finals was a reminder that he can play with the best of them. Murray is averaging 27.7 points per game and his shooting splits are 48-40-92. He is comfortable all over the floor and can score in multiple ways. His chemistry with Jokic is one of the best their give-and-go is some of the best in the league. Expect Murray to have a big series, he may not be the most talented in the series, but he can be the best.
🎙️@Chris_Broussard: "Do you think it's good for the NBA to have such an understated player and personality to be the best player in that sport like Mike Trout in MLB?
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) June 1, 2023
Rob Parker: "I don't think it's the best situation, but sometimes you don't have a choice." pic.twitter.com/oBiCpZyFxz
Here are some numbers to know going into the matchup: the Nuggets have scored 119.7 points per 100 possessions over their 15 playoff games. The most efficient team in the playoffs in the last six years. They have done all of this against defenses ranked 10th, seventh and 12th in the regular season.
The Nuggets are ranked third in effective field goal percentage in the playoffs (55.9%). They are first in turnover rate only committing 11.7 over 100 possessions, different from the regular season at 14.7. They have the second-best assist/turnover ratio with at least 10 games played over the last 25 years (2.27).
The Heat are ranked sixth defensively in the playoffs allowing 111.5 points per 100 possessions. They played two teams that were ranked in the top five in offense in the regular season (Knicks and Celtics). Jimmy Butler has 35 steals that is 10 more than the next player.
This will be a hard-fought series, but the Nuggets are too good and too complete of a team. They will win and Nikola Jokic will win Finals MVP.
CAM’S CRYSTAL BALL SAYS: Nuggets in 6.
The 7 Best Places To Grab BBQ In Central New Jersey This Summer
