As a player, assistant coach, coach and executive, Riley has reached the NBA Finals 19 times. While we ponder that, let’s pause and salute 78-year-old Heat bossman Pat Riley for yet another trip to the finish line. In the process of this best-of-seven series, important questions will be asked and answered.Īre there more triple-doubles coming from Jokic? Can Bam Adebayo do much, or anything, to prevent them? Does the furnace inside Butler keep raging enough for him to elevate his game even higher? Will Miami see a return at some point from Tyler Herro, out since the first game of the playoffs with a hand injury but cleared to resume basketball activities in advance of the Finals? Will Denver’s shooting efficiency, 49% from the floor and 38% from deep in the 2023 playoffs, stay scorching and test Miami’s smart defense?

There’s beauty to behold in the chase for the first championship, especially because there’s no guarantee either player will get this close again. What’s wonderful about Nuggets-Heat is that either Nikola Jokic or Jimmy Butler will leave with a ring. Maybe it’s not the Finals matchup some folks wanted, but it could become the Finals matchup we deserve. Best of all those matchups will bring plenty of confidence because of the experiences. Denver had to cope with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the Western Conference semifinals, then LeBron James and Anthony Davis for the West crown.Īnd Miami? After surviving the Play-In (where Miami actually trailed the Chicago Bulls late in the fourth quarter), the Heat chopped down a pair of sequoias in the Bucks and Celtics, stunning the league each time. That’s because the Nuggets and Heat just went through the fire. And based on what we’ve seen from these two teams, both belong on the June stage. In the NBA Finals, it’s all about shot-making, defensive stands and the courage needed to become a champion. None of that really matters anymore, not this deep into the postseason. What a contrast, at least according to the standings, is this matchup of Nuggets vs.

an AT&T Play-In Tournament winner for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. Shaq, Charles, Kenny and EJ share their thoughts on the Nuggets-Heat matchup in the 2023 NBA Finals.

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