The NBA Finals came to a close last night and, for the first time in the franchise's history, the Denver Nuggets are champions.
Game five in Denver was where many had predicted it would end and the Nuggets got the job done, winning 94-89.
The @nuggets are the 2022-23 NBA Champions! pic.twitter.com/8Kb1HZIkaj — NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
The Nuggets star man Nikola Jokic had a big game, dropping 28 points, 16 rebounds and notching up 4 assists. The Serbian is the first player in NBA history to lead the play-offs in points, rebounds and assists and he capped off a monster series by winning the Finals MVP.
When speaking to ESPN immediately after the game, talking about finally being an NBA Champion, Jokic said: "It’s good, it’s good. The job is done, we can go home now.”
Jokic was snubbed in this year's MVP race by the 76ers' Joel Embid, but, with a championship ring on his finger now, I'm sure he won't care at all.
Drafted 41st overall out of Serbia in 2014, 5x NBA All-Star, 2x #KiaMVP... & now NBA CHAMPION in Year 8. First-time #NBAFinals MVP... Nikola Jokic! pic.twitter.com/mAisvcXhI0 — NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray also put on a show and between the duo they managed 30 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists.
Murray missed all of last season with a cruciate ligament injury but, with him back to full health, the Nuggets were the obvious choice in the Western Conference.
The Nuggets really struggled from the three-point-line, missing their first 22 attempts from beyond the arc. The Heat were capitalizing on this and they went in at the half with a seven-point lead.
The Heat's All-Star duo, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo had monster games as they tried to force Game six back in Miami.
Butler had 21 points, three rebounds and five assists. Adebayo dropped 20 points, 12 rebounds and one assist.
The role players for the Heat, Herro, Vincent, Lowry and Struss, who were excellent in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics, really struggled to get firing in this series.
Heat role-player Gabe Vincent told fans via the NBA Media Day: “This season has been interesting. We’ve had highs. We’ve had lows. Obviously we’ve made a push from the eighth seed to the Finals. We’ve showed a lot of resilience, a lot of persistence, a lot of belief in one another, and we’re just excited for the opportunity that’s ahead.”
The Nuggets did manage to stop the late Miami flurry as the heat went on an 8-0 run. Butler knocked down two clutch free-throws to give Miami a one-point lead with two minutes on the clock.
Denver didn't give in and a Jokic tip-in at the rim would seal the victory for the Nuggets.
Nikola Jokic is an NBA Champion and #NBAFinals MVP! Joker averaged 30.2 PTS, 14.0 REB, and 7.2 AST to lead the @nuggets to the 2022-23 NBA Championship pic.twitter.com/88Mh9pPWyd — NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Miami tried their best but Denver were the stronger team in the series and there's no shame in the Heat saying that. They put up some massive performances against Giannis and the Bucks, Brunson and the Knicks and Tatum and the Celtics. They just fell short at the final hurdle.
As for the Nuggets, they are deserving champions. They beat Anthony Edwards Timberwolves, the trio of Kevin Durant, Chris Paul and Devin Booker for the Phoenix Suns and LeBron James' Lakers on route to the final and this championship is the icing on the cake.
Winning a championship will make the Nuggets an attractive destination for free-agents in the off-season. It remains to be seen what business both teams will do but they both put on a great NBA Finals series.