The finals matchup has been set. We have the one-seed Denver Nuggets facing off against the eight-seed Miami Heat. It’s been quite the journey for both teams albeit the Nuggets having a much easier ride to the Finals.
Miami has had to claw its way, first from the play-in game to challenging the one-seed Bucks in the first round and finally their arduous series with the Celtics. Whatever the case both teams have shown championship-caliber spirit and have performed to that very same standard.
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The Denver Nuggets were the first seed in the 2022-2023 regular season finishing with a 53 win and 29 loss record. They were also one of the earliest teams to clinch a playoff berth. On the contrary, the Miami Heat were the eighth seed finishing with a 44 and 38 loss record.
While they didn’t perform up to the Nuggets’ level, they did clinch their division. The Nuggets have been a heavy favorite to make the finals whereas the Heat only received recognition after gentleman sweeping the easter favorites, the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Denver Nuggets boast a record of 38-34 over the Miami Heat
In the 2023-2024 NBA season, the Nuggets and Heat matched up two times, considering that they are of contrasting conferences. Both times the Nuggets took the victory, with a 124-119 win on December 30th and a 112-108 triumph on February 13th.
History also favors the Nuggets as they hold a four-game lead over the Heat all time, with the bulk of their wins coming in the 89′ to 96′ span of years. From 97′ to 21′ the Heat have dominated the Nuggets winning the majority of their matchups in convincing style.
In the early nineties, it was Alex English and Fat Lever dominating a lowly Heat roster with the most notable player being Rony Seikaly. Then the tables turned and the Nuggets were falling short regularly to a Heat team led by Alonzo Mourning while their best player was LaPhonso Ellis.
The Heat continued this dominance into the 2000s with their drafting of superstar Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal joining the team. Of course, Denver also was unable to find much success against the Heat in the Heat Era i.e. The Heat’s Big Three consisting of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh.
However, in recent years (since 2018), the Nuggets have taken back control owing to the play of multiple-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the stellar support of Jamal Murray. They have won nine out of the last ten matchups dating back to January 8th, 2019.
What remains to be seen is how history will play a role in this year’s finals matchup. Although the Denver Nuggets may be the favorite at this moment, momentum is a very underrated aspect of a series and will tend to play a big role in games such as these.
Miami has vanquished last year’s finals attendees and has all the inspiration in the world, whereas the Nuggets have gone a full week without stepping on to the court. It can be said though, that the Nuggets roster will be much better rested to take on this challenge and try to capture their inaugural Larry O’Brien.