The 2023 NBA Finals will be a matchup of the two most surprising teams in the playoffs. The Denver Nuggets, who were the No. 1 seed in the West, will face the Miami Heat, who were the No. 8 seed in the East.
The Nuggets are led by Nikola Jokic, who is the favorite to win the MVP award. Jokic is averaging 30.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game in the playoffs. He is also shooting 52.4% from the field and 38.8% from three-point range.
The Heat are led by Jimmy Butler, who is averaging 29.3 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game in the playoffs. Butler is also shooting 48.1% from the field and 37.5% from three-point range.
The Nuggets have home-court advantage in the series, but the Heat have the experience. The Nuggets are in their first Finals appearance since 2009, while the Heat have been to the Finals five times in the last 10 years.
This is a matchup of two evenly matched teams. The Nuggets have the better player in Jokic, but the Heat have the better supporting cast. The series should be close and could go the distance.
Here are some key matchups to watch in the series:
- Nikola Jokic vs. Bam Adebayo: Jokic is the best player in the series, but Adebayo is the best defender. This will be a key matchup in the paint.
- Jimmy Butler vs. Aaron Gordon: Butler is the Heat’s best scorer, while Gordon is the Nuggets’ best defender. This will be a key matchup on the perimeter.
- Jamal Murray vs. Tyler Herro: Murray is the Nuggets’ second-best scorer, while Herro is the Heat’s second-best scorer. This will be a key matchup in the backcourt.
The 2023 NBA Finals is a matchup of two evenly matched teams. The Nuggets have the better player in Jokic, but the Heat have the better supporting cast. The series should be close and could go the distance.