The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are locked in the NBA Finals after the Heat defeated the talented Boston Celtics and prevented an iconic 3-0 comeback. Of course, the Heat also had to take care of the favorite Milwaukee Bucks and the New York Knicks, thanks to the heroics of Jimmy Butler and other role players, including Caleb Martin. In one of the most shocking and unexpected NBA Finals showdowns in recent memory, the Nuggets and Heat will likely go to battle in a series that should make highlights every week, considering there could be some bad blood between them.
The Nuggets finished with the best record in the Western Conference at 53-29 and have arguably the best player in the world Nikola Jokic. They swept LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and have been resting for a long time, waiting to see the outcome of the Celtics and Heat matchup. Finally, Denver will get back to basketball this Thursday, as Game 1 will be a very interesting one to follow.
Both the Nuggets and Heat have been disrespected all year because the former has yet to make an NBA Finals in their franchise’s history, and the latter was the 8th seed that needed two play-in games to even make the postseason. Nobody would have predicted that the Nuggets and Heat would have made the Finals, and it is certainly a polarizing series. We don’t have major franchises such as the Lakers or Celtics in the Finals, but we will crown a unique champion, and that should be something most NBA fans will appreciate.
Here is the full comparison between the Nuggets and Heat in what will constitute a rather unexpected NBA Finals showdown, along with a prediction on who will be the 2022-23 NBA champion.
Starting Lineups
Denver Nuggets: Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, Nikola Jokic
Miami Heat: Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Caleb Martin, Bam Adebayo
The Denver Nuggets starting lineup usually consists of Jamal Murray and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the backcourt, Michael Porter Jr and Aaron Gordon in the frontcourt, and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic at center. Jamal Murray is a dynamic scorer and playmaker, capable of hitting from long-range or driving to the rim, and his return to the roster has been the major reason why Denver has finished first in the West. Caldwell-Pope is a tenacious defender and solid three-point shooter, while Porter Jr provides an extra scoring punch with no conscious.
Gordon is an excellent defender and improved offensive player and finally, Nikola Jokic is the centerpiece of the Nuggets offense, a versatile center with extraordinary passing skills and the ability to score from inside or outside the paint. Jokic will be the best player in this series by most accounts, and that will be critical in giving the Nuggets an advantage in the starting lineup.
Meanwhile, the Heat has a great roster led by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Butler is one of the best playoff performers in NBA history and even when he has a rough shooting game, he will always come through in the clutch. Adebayo has had his ups and downs, but he can play defense and has deep team chemistry with the rest of the players. Starting point guard, Gabe Vincent is posting 13.1 PPG in the playoffs so far and is a solid outside shooter and perimeter defender, along with a big-time shot-maker. Max Strus is nailing almost 36% from three in the postseason and is always a threat to make big shots and even contested looks.
The power forward will involve playoff star Caleb Martin who is averaging 14.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 0.8 SPG. Against the Celtics, Martin posted 19.3 PPG and 6.4 RPG as he outscored All-NBA Second Team performer Jaylen Brown in the series. Finally, Adebayo only averaged 14.9 PPG in the series against Boston, but his defense, rebounding, and basketball IQ will be critical against a talented center in Jokic.
Overall, while Miami’s starting lineup has greatly overperformed in terms of expectations, the Nuggets have the advantage because Nikola Jokic is completely unstoppable, and he has three elite shooters around him and a two-way forward who was a fringe All-Star. That means the Nuggets have an advantage in the starting lineup.
Advantage: Denver Nuggets
Bench
Denver Nuggets: Reggie Jackson, Ish Smith, Peyton Watson, Christian Braun, Bruce Brown Jr, Jeff Green, Vlatko Cancar, Zeke Nnaji
Miami Heat: Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love, Omer Yurtseven, Udonis Haslem, Cody Zeller
Denver has Bruce Brown Jr as the best player coming off the bench. Brown Jr competes hard on both ends of the court and was brought in to be a defender on the wing and also hit outside shots. Not to mention, Christian Braun has been a surprising competitor who plays hard on both ends, and the same goes for the likes of Vlatko Cancar and even Jeff Green. Denver has mainly played these players throughout the playoffs and will receive the bulk of the minutes whenever the starters are resting.
As good as Denver’s bench is under Michael Malone, the Miami Heat might have a very slight advantage, especially if Tyler Herro returns by Game 3. Kyle Lowry is the biggest name on the Miami Heat bench, even if he is only posting 8.8 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 4.3 APG on 35.5% shooting from three. Lowry brings experience, defense, and timely shot-making, even if he has clearly aged and is certainly slower. Duncan Robinson is also getting more minutes as the games go by and is nailing 44.6% from three, meaning he will always be a threat to make shots when he is open. The same goes for Kevin Love, a talented shooter who also brings experience and timely plays as needed. Miami wants a bench of veterans and clutch players, and they certainly have that, especially if Haywood Highsmith and Cody Zeller offer up production in limited minutes. Bruce Brown has been a revelation for Denver, but Miami might have a few more shot-makers off the bench.
Advantage: Miami Heat
Michael Malone vs. Erik Spoelstra
Michael Malone and Erik Spoelstra are two of the best NBA coaches in the league by a wide margin. Michael Malone has built the Denver Nuggets into a perennial playoff contender in the Western Conference and has kept his players focused despite the disrespect they have received. Malone is known for his defensive-minded approach and has helped the Nuggets become one of the best all-around teams in the league. Remember, Denver ranked 5th in offensive rating and 8th in OPPG during the season and swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
Erik Spoelstra, on the other hand, is an elite NBA head coach that is continuing to prove his value as a leader of a franchise with a journey that is simply incredible. Spoelstra has been instrumental in the success of the Heat during his time with the organization. Erik’s decision to go to a zone defense stifled the Boston Celtics as they had to live and die by the three-point shot and the Heat completely took advantage. Spoelstra has a deep bond with his players, including Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, so his coaching will be instrumental to the Heat’s chances. As great as Spoelstra has been, Malone has had a fantastic season and there isn’t an advantage in the Finals in terms of coaching.
Advantage: Even
Denver Nuggets Advantages
The Denver Nuggets are exceptionally well-coached, with one of the best starting lineups in the NBA. They have a two-time MVP in Nikola Jokic, an elite two-way roster, and one of the best coaches in the world. Michael Malone has made the Nuggets a dominant side in terms of moving the ball and getting good shots, especially when the ball is fed inside to Nikola Jokic. Denver ranked 5th in offensive rating this season and there is no answer for Nikola Jokic right now. The Serbian is too large, skilled, and unselfish to handle one-on-one, and he will dictate the series.
Not to mention, there are elite shooters around Jokic. Murray, Porter Jr, and Caldwell-Pope are all above-average marksmen, which means Miami will be forced to scramble around the court if they decide to double-team the big Serbian. The Nuggets do not have a weakness from top to bottom and their purity on the basketball court is their major advantage. While Miami has to overperform to be competitive, Denver can just be itself because Jokic is completely unguardable.
Miami Heat Advantages
The Miami Heat have shocked the entire NBA Universe. We knew not to disrespect them because they were only a Jimmy Butler three-pointer away from making the NBA Finals last year, but finishing as the 8th seed makes them forgettable. The Heat have the advantage over the Nuggets in terms of heart and killer instinct. That isn’t to say that Denver doesn’t have that, it is just that Miami is overflowing with those attributes. Booking a flight to Denver before Game 7 is absolutely ridiculous, but that shows how much confidence Miami has right now.
Butler and the Heat roster are rolling with confidence because despite blowing a 3-0 lead and being forced into a Game 7, they blew the opposition off their home floor and remained centered while doing that. The Heat never thought they would not make the NBA Finals, and their tough attitude will be critical to trying to out-hustle the more talented team in the Denver Nuggets.
Who Will Win The 2023 NBA Championship?
The Miami Heat are a tough team with competitors that won’t take a single playoff when it comes to playing defense or sharing the ball. Even when Jimmy Butler is a superstar player, Miami shares the ball and maximizes the play of others around him. The Heat have more than exceeded expectations at the start of the playoffs because many predicted the Milwaukee Bucks would have taken care of them in the first round. Of course, Boston was the heavy favorite in the Eastern Conference Finals.
While Miami won’t be a pushover, the Denver Nuggets are more talented and are equally as well-coached. Malone has Denver playing inspired basketball and they have had no issues dealing with the teams throughout the playoffs so far, including the Los Angeles Lakers that had both LeBron James and Anthony Davis healthy. With plenty of rest, the Nuggets will be in full health and motivated to battle a relatively exhausted Heat team.
More importantly, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray will outperform Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Jokic is unstoppable and the thin-framed Bam Adebayo will have trouble stopping the Serbian from averaging close to a triple-double in the series. Miami doesn’t have enough big bodies to challenge Jokic, which is a major advantage to Denver. Also, Jamal Murray is averaging 27.7 PPG in the playoffs so far and has been almost as important as Jokic in Denver’s playoff run so far.
Miami can only hope Tyler Herro gets back to full strength by Game 3 because if they can split the first two games, they will be in a better position. However, Denver might get out to a 2-0 series lead and that will make it very difficult for Miami to bounce back. Due to the fact that the Nuggets have been the best team all year in the regular season and playoffs and have an unguardable duo in Jokic and Murray, Denver will win the series in five games.
Prediction: Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat 4-1
