The 33-year-old Butler has been at the forefront of Miami’s extraordinary run and has been consistently unfazed in the face of unimaginable pressure.īutler grabs a rebound against Celtics center Al Horford in the first quarter during Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. and the Boston Celtics, despite recovering from a 3-0 deficit to force a Game 7, failed to get the better of the Heat. The New York Knicks were the next to succumb to Butler and Co. Miami was given little hope, but five games later, the Heat had shocked the Bucks 4-1 and advanced to the next round. Their reward for squeaking through the Play-In route was a match-up with the No. Having stumbled through the regular season – battling consistent injuries and shooting woes – Miami eventually booked a spot in the Play-In tournament.īut even then they struggled, first losing to the Atlanta Hawks before overcoming a late deficit to squeak past the Chicago Bulls into the playoffs. While the Nuggets’ journey to the Finals wasn’t unexpected, the Heat’s run certainly was. Jokić leaves the floor after the Nuggets beat the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. The Nuggets have remained unbeaten in home games these playoffs, and with home court advantage in the Finals, Denver is a strong favorite to claim a first title in franchise history. ![]() “So maybe, if we win it all, maybe it’s going to be different, but we will see.” “But at the end of the day, next year, nobody is going to remember us or two years from now. We won the (Game 4 against the Lakers) and I was really happy, yes, yes, we made history, this, that,” Jokić told reporters. Jokić admitted that the celebrations were short-lived after the Western Conference Finals sweep of the Lakers as Denver’s goal is lifting the title.īut he admits that if they are able to claim that ring, he might allow himself to fully soak it all in. It’s Jokić’s unique combination of passing, scoring and vision that have made him such a dominant force and, paired with Jamal Murray’s scoring ability, the Nuggets have been almost unstoppable on offense.ĭue to some savvy additions in recent years – in particular, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – Denver’s defense has also been stifling. Jokić shoots the ball during Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals. He has fended off challenges from a long list of superstar opposition – LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have all fallen by the wayside. The 28-year-old has averaged a triple double of 30.4 points, 13.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists in 13 games this postseason as Denver has romped through the playoffs. Jokić has become a transformative player for Denver over recent years but this season in particular, the two-time MVP has gone from regular-season monster to postseason juggernaut. 1 seed in the Western Conference, they have made good on those desires. International viewers can watch all the action on the League Pass, as well as through local broadcasters.įor the Nuggets, a run to the Finals was the only acceptable outcome at the beginning of the season after years of near misses. The finale of the NBA season will be broadcast on ABC in the US, while all games are available via the NBA League Pass. If required, Game 6 will be held in Miami and Game 7 in Denver. The series then travels to Miami for Games 3 and 4 before returning to Denver for Game 5 if necessary. ![]() Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins on Thursday, June 1 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, with Game 2 taking place on Sunday. ![]() Whoever is left standing with the Larry O’Brien trophy held high come the end of the Finals – whether it be Jokić or Butler – is likely to be a great story for neutral fans, with both players aiming to win their first rings. The two teams have a lot in common both are led by a star player with complimentary contributors around them and both have long-tenured head coaches at the helm – Miami’s Erik Spoelstra has the second longest active spell as a team’s head coach while Denver’s Michael Malone has the fourth longest.Īfter sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the Nuggets have had over a week off while the Heat have come off a grueling seven-game series with the Boston Celtics, so tiredness could be a factor. It’s the performances of Jokić and Butler which help to explain why the NBA Finals are being contested by Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat as the 2022/23 NBA season concludes. Then there’s the Miami’s Heat Jimmy Butler – another undervalued player whose grit and never-say-die attitude against the odds has earned him plaudits and fans in recent years, but in particular, these playoffs. There’s Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets – the hulking Serbian center who has battled underappreciation and misinterpretation to become one of the league’s greats and a two-time Most Valuable Player. It is the tale of two of the NBA’s most beloved players.
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