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NBA Finals 2023: Five things to know Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets clash in championship series

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The 2023 NBA Finals is upon us and this year, it is three-time champions Miami Heat up against Denver Nuggets, who are making an appearance in the Finals for the first time. Despite this, it is the Nuggets who are the favourites to win the championship series. Game 1 is scheduled for June 1 (6am IST June 2) and the possible Game 7 is scheduled for June 18. Since its establishment all the way back in 1947, the NBA Finals have become one of the most awaited events in international sporting calendar. This is testified by the fact that Serbian tennis great Novak Djokovic would be keeping an eye on the Finals to see how his countryman, two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, and who leads the Nuggets. Here is a quick lowdown on the five things you must know before Game 1 at the Ball Arena in Denver.

Nuggets have a 2-0 record on Heat(Getty Images)
Nuggets have a 2-0 record on Heat(Getty Images)

1. Heat and Nuggets’ road to the finals

Heat beat Eastern Confernces’ No.1 seed Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 and then beat the New York Knicks 4-2. They then beat the Boston Celtics the hard way, beating them in the seventh game and going through 4-3 to the finals. The Nuggets, meahwile Nuggets — beat No. 8 Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, Phoenix Suns 4-2 before thrashing 17-time champions LA Lakers 4-1.

2. Nuggets lead the season head to head

Nuggets have won both games that the two sides have played each other in before the Finals. Denver’s two victories came by a combined nine points, with a 124-119 home win on Dec. 30 and a 112-108 victory in Miami on February 13.

3. The Jokic factor

Nuggets may be making only their first appearance in the Finals but they have absolutely cruised to this stage and this in a large part thanks to their centre Nikola Jokic. The 28-year-old is averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists in the postseason. There have been many who have stated that Jokic should have won his third-straight MVP this player, as opposed to Philadelphia 76ers’ Joen Embiid, but the Serb himself didn’t seem bothered by that. Instead, he has stated that winning the championship is his only priority.

4. NBA Series records

LA Lakers have reached the finals 32 times, which is the most for appearances in the championship series. They have won the title 17 times, which is tied with the Boston Celtics, who have got 22 Finals appearances. Miami Heat, one of the two finalists this season, have reached this stage seven times in the past.

5. Other factors to note

The Heat haven’t won in Denver since Nov. 30, 2016. Denver have an 8-0 record at home in the postseason and have won six straight overall since being tied 2-2 with the Suns. The Heat have won Game 1 on the road in all three series thus far. In Jokic and Murray (27.7 ppg), the Nuggets have two of the top nine scorers in this postseason. Butler (28.5) is seventh. Miami’s bench has outscored its opponents by 213 points in the postseason. The Heat lost their past two home games after winning their first six of the postseason.


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