2023 NBA Finals: Everything to Know About Heat vs. Nuggets Series
How to Watch
• Game 1: Heat vs. Nuggets | Thurs., June 1 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 2: Heat vs. Nuggets | Sun., June 4 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 3: Nuggets vs. Heat | Wed., June 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 4: Nuggets vs. Heat | Fri., June 9 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Game 5: Heat vs. Nuggets | Mon., June 12 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
• Game 6: Nuggets vs. Heat | Thurs., June 15 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
• Game 7: Heat vs. Nuggets | Sun., June 18 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC) *
* if necessary
prevnextHow the Heat Got Here
a touch of gold ✨#HEATCulture // #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/HEg542Chfc
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 1, 2023
The Heat just did enough to qualify for the play-in tournament as they finished the regular season as the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. They lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the first play-in game but defeated the Chicago Bulls in the second game to earn the No. 8 seed.
The Heat then took down No. 1-seed Milwaukee Bucks in the first round of the playoffs. They defeated the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Seminals before getting past the No. 2-seed Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
prevnextHow the Nuggets Got Here
The bigger picture. Game One of the NBA Finals 🎨 pic.twitter.com/w9xlFkENfj
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 1, 2023
The Nuggets did not have to worry about a play-in game as they were the No. 1 seed in the West. They downed the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs. They followed up the series win with a victory over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals and then swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
prevnextHeat Player to Watch: Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler made the All-NBA Second Team this year after finishing the season averaging 22.9 points 5.9 rebounds and 5.3 assists per contest. And during the Eastern Conference Finals, Butler was named MVP after averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
prevnextNuggets Player to Watch: Nikola Jokić
One could argue that Jokić is the best player in the NBA. He won the NBA MVP award in 2021 and 2022 and was named Western Conference MVP after averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game against the Lakers. Not bad for a player that was picked by the Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft.
prevnextHeat Title History
The Heat are no strangers to winning championships as they have claimed the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2006, 2012 and 2013. The last time the Heat reached the NBA Finals was in 2020 when they lost to the Lakers.
prevnextNuggets Title History
The Nuggets are playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since the team was founded in 1967. They have reached the Western Conference a few times, including in 2020, the same year the Heat reached the NBA Finals before this year.
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