{"id":9968,"date":"2023-06-01T12:35:39","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T12:35:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/nba-finals-2023-denver-nuggets-v-miami-heat-five-things-to-look-for-as-history-beckons\/"},"modified":"2023-06-01T12:35:40","modified_gmt":"2023-06-01T12:35:40","slug":"nba-finals-2023-denver-nuggets-v-miami-heat-five-things-to-look-for-as-history-beckons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/nba-finals-2023-denver-nuggets-v-miami-heat-five-things-to-look-for-as-history-beckons\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Finals 2023: Denver Nuggets v Miami Heat – five things to look for as history beckons"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Nikola Jokic was named Most Valuable Player for the Western Conference Finals, after being the season MVP in 2021 and 2022<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<\/thead>\n\n\n\n
Venue:<\/strong> Ball Arena, Denver <\/span>Date:<\/strong> Thursday, 1 June <\/span>Start:<\/strong> 18:30 (01:30 BST, Friday)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
BBC coverage: <\/strong>Watch live<\/span><\/a> on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

“This is going to be the biggest challenge of our lives. This is the NBA Finals.”<\/span><\/p>\n

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Coach Michael Malone is taking nothing for granted as his Denver Nuggets team aim to beat the Miami Heat for their first NBA title.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Top seeds in the Western Conference, Denver are favourites having powered through the play-offs to reach the Finals for the first time in their 56-year history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Miami’s play-off campaign was almost over before it began as the three-time champions lost their first game of the play-in tournament.<\/span><\/p>\n

They survived, and two months later, the Eastern Conference’s eighth seed also have a chance to create history after a remarkable run through the play-offs.<\/span><\/p>\n

The NBA Finals are scheduled for 1-18 June, with the first game in Denver, live on BBC One.<\/span><\/p>\n

But who are the key men and why is tennis star Coco Gauff hoping the best-of-seven series goes the distance?<\/span><\/p>\n

Two-time MVP Jokic ‘torches’ opposition<\/h3>\n

Denver selected Serbia’s Nikola Jokic 41st overall in the 2014 draft. Since then, the Nuggets have developed into championship contenders, with Jokic becoming the face of the franchise.<\/span><\/p>\n

A dominant 6ft 11in centre, the 28-year-old was named the <\/span>NBA’s Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2022,<\/span><\/a> and coach Malone says Jokic takes more joy from creating for team-mates than scoring himself. <\/span><\/p>\n

“He is literally a wizard on the court,” Denver forward Zeke Nnaji told the BBC. “He sees everything, he has eyes in the back of his head.<\/span><\/p>\n

“His IQ is off the charts, and it’s great because he goes against guys who are stronger, more athletic, and he absolutely torches them.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He just has incredible patience that no-one can rush him,” Nnaji added. “If you try to double-team him, he knows where everyone is and makes the right pass.<\/span><\/p>\n

“He doesn’t have to look at you, he’ll pass it to you right where you need it, so he is truly incredible to watch.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Denver have a 12-3 record in this year’s play-offs and won both games with Miami in the regular season. Jokic has averaged a triple-double across all those games.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you stop Jokic?<\/h3>\n

Miami are expected to task rival big man Bam Adebayo with containing Jokic, but the Serb said: “It’s not Bam against me or anybody against anybody. It’s Denver against Miami.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We are getting everybody involved, we like to play team basketball. I think that’s why it’s going to be interesting.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Long-serving Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said: “I don’t think there’s any version of a ‘stopper’ in this association.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We have to make things tough, get him out of his comfort zone, and figure out a way to get the job done regardless.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Asked what is key to slowing down Jokic, Miami star Jimmy Butler replied: “Guarding him as a team with all five guys.<\/span><\/p>\n

“We’re going to have to be in the gaps, to gang rebound. We can’t have defensive lapses, we’re going to have to lock in.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Is ‘play-off Jimmy’ real?<\/h3>\n

Like Jokic, Jimmy Butler came into the NBA as an unheralded draft prospect after being selected 30th overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2011.<\/span><\/p>\n

While his talent was clear, there were question marks over his leadership style and he was moved on by three teams in quick succession.<\/span><\/p>\n

But with Miami the small forward has become known as ‘play-off Jimmy’ for his tendency to raise his game in the post-season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Asked about his nickname after <\/span>scoring a team-record 56 points<\/span><\/a> in the first round of this year’s play-offs, he said: “It’s not a thing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The stats suggest otherwise. In four years with Miami he has led the Heat to the Finals twice, <\/span>losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020,<\/span><\/a> and in three of those seasons his average for points per game has been higher in the post-season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Described as a “warrior” by Denver coach Michael Malone, the 33-year-old was named MVP for the Eastern Conference Finals after scoring a game-high 28 points as the <\/span>Heat held off a Boston Celtics fightback<\/span><\/a> to win the series 4-3.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the start of the play-offs, Miami’s odds to win the NBA title were 150-1 – the longest of any team to reach the Finals since the NBA merged with the ABA in 1976.<\/span><\/p>\n

Led by Butler, the Heat have become the first play-in team to reach the Finals and just the second eighth seed to reach this stage – after the 1999 New York Knicks, who lost to the San Antonio Spurs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Undrafted players proving doubters wrong<\/h3>\n

Both Jokic and Butler bring the best out of a supporting cast of ‘role players’.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caleb Martin has been the most impressive for Miami, leading a group of undrafted players including Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Duncan Robinson.<\/span><\/p>\n

Seven undrafted players have played for the Heat in the play-offs and 52% of their points against Boston were scored by undrafted players – both figures the highest for a Finals team since 1966.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Heat are just the third team in 35 seasons to reach the Finals despite being underdogs in each of their first three play-off series, after the 1999 Knicks and the 1995 Houston Rockets, who upset the Orlando Magic.<\/span><\/p>\n

“It’s lined up to be a great competition,” said Spoelstra, who led the Heat to their last two NBA titles in 2012 and 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

“In some ways, it’s a mirror image series, not in terms of style, but with teams that probably have been overlooked, underestimated, and have built a chip on their shoulder over that.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Gauff receives Butler invite<\/h3>\n

Tennis star Coco Gauff, who lives in Florida, has also revealed the belief which has driven Miami’s play-off run.<\/span><\/p>\n

After her <\/span>first-round win at the French Open<\/span><\/a> on Tuesday, the 19-year-old said Butler offered her tickets for the play-offs but she was in Europe for the clay-court season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Butler replied: “OK, when we make the finals, let me know if your family wants some tickets.”<\/span><\/p>\n

When<\/em>, not <\/span>if<\/em>. The Heat are now there, of course, and even if Gauff makes it to the Paris final, she could make it home for game six in Miami.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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Nikola Jokic was named Most Valuable Player for the Western Conference Finals, after being the season MVP in 2021 and 2022 Venue: Ball Arena, Denver Date: Thursday, 1 June Start: 18:30 (01:30 BST, Friday) BBC coverage: Watch live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. “This is going to be the biggest […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[12],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9968"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9970,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9968\/revisions\/9970"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/sport\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}