The NBA Finals are here and the Miami Heat will be looking to make history as the first No. 8 seed to win a title. They’ll be facing off against the Denver Nuggets, who are looking to secure their first Larry O’Brien Trophy.
This brings us to what is going to be an exciting, underdog-versus-juggernaut match-up starting on Thursday. It’s going to be an extraordinary best-of-seven series, with the first game starting at 8:30 p.m. EDT at Ball Arena in Denver. You can catch all the action airing on ABC.
Nuggets coach, Michael Malone, said in a recent press conference, “You get to the NBA Finals and it’s not about seeding anymore, and for those who are thinking that this is going to be an easy series, I don’t even know what to say to you people. This is going to be the biggest challenge of our lives.”
Malone’s Nuggets have clinched the favored position, with an 8.5-point lead ahead of the Heat in game 1. Their impressive record of winning 53 games in the Western Conference and having one of the top offenses in the NBA has earned them that advantage, shooting a league-best of 50.4% from the floor in the regular season.
Despite the odds and the impressive record of the Nuggets, the Heat have their own story to tell. They’ve become the first play-in team to ever reach the Finals and are the second No. 8 seed in history to make it this far. They’ve come a long way from their poor shooting and slow start during the regular season. However, the team was able to have a complete turnaround, thanks to coach Erik Spoelstra and star player Jimmy Butler. They were able to lead the play-in entrants to an upset in the first round of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and their NBA-best 58 regular-season wins.
The Heat continued their run by beating the No. 5 New York Knicks in six games. They then dominated race to a 3-0 series lead on the No. 2 Boston Celtics, who won the second most games in the NBA, before their rivals rallied and tied the Eastern Conference finals 3-3. The Heat then blew out the Celtics in Boston in Game 7 to secure their place in the Finals. What’s most interesting is that the Heat have had contributions from an unsuspecting cast, who have certainly become stars throughout the postseason. The lineup flexibility allows the coach to use different offensive and defensive strategies to combat their foes. With Butler declaring that “Everybody’s confidence is so high. We have the belief that we can do something incredibly special. So we are going to hit the ground running when we get to Denver, and I like our chances.”
If historical underdogs fascinate you, then you’ll surely be glued to the screens throughout the series. The Nuggets have a chance of winning the title, by becoming only the third team in NBA history, who finished outside the top two seeds, to secure the crown. The last team to do that was LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, who came back from a 3-1 deficit against the Golden State Warriors to win the championship. The precedent means that the series this year is going to be intriguing, not just because of the quality of basketball on display, but because of the stories behind the teams themselves.
The Nuggets may have the home court advantage in the first two games, but the Heat will have their chance playing on their own turf for the next two. If the series extends past five games, Game 6 will be hosted by the Heat, while games 5 and 7 will return to Ball Arena. With so much build-up and anticipation around the big NBA event, we’re excited to see how the drama will unfold.
The culmination of the basketball season has been long-awaited, especially considering how things have changed due to the pandemic and all the irregularities of the season. Even the way the teams are playing reflects how things have changed. A classic run by the Lakers or Celtics doesn’t feel possible this year, considering how both teams are no longer battling for the title. Instead, we’ll be watching two teams who have defied expectations and will be playing their hearts out.
That being said, the Heat and Nuggets coming up top is also a great show of change and a reflection of how the sport has evolved. It’s hard not to appreciate what both these teams have achieved so far, considering the challenges they had to overcome. The Heat’s unexpected and incredible turnaround and the Nuggets’ impressive record make both teams well-deserving of their place in these Finals.
Furthermore, the upcoming Finals series will make for excellent viewing. Both teams have unique strengths, and that will perhaps help various players shine at different times throughout the series. We can’t deny that the Nuggets have delivered one of the most entertaining and unpredictable seasons in recent history, and we will surely see more of that throughout the Finals. On the other hand, what the Heat has done during their journey is nothing short of remarkable.
What’s helped the Heat become a competitive team in the playoffs has been the impressive performances from Jimmy Butler, who has been a crucial element, leading them towards glory. The Heat has also been able to win games thanks to a team effort and everyone contributing to their success. They have shown a tremendous amount of resilience and belief that anything is possible when everyone works together.
Moving on to the Nuggets, they have been able to make it this far in the playoffs with one of the most intriguing teams in recent seasons. Their roster is diverse, and they’ve been able to maneuver their players in ways that have allowed them to succeed even when the odds were against them. What is perhaps most impressive about this Nuggets team is their adaptability and improvisation, enabling them to be at their best even when the pressure is on.
All in all, the NBA Finals series this year is one that simply can’t be missed. It’s going to be a great showcase of what is possible when you believe in yourself and work together as a team to achieve your goals. It’s the perfect reminder of how change and evolution are key elements in the sport to just keep pushing hard no matter how insurmountable the odds seem.
With all that to look forward to from both teams – the drama, the excitement, and everything in between – there’s no better way to kick off another great weekend than with this upcoming NBA Finals series. For those who love underdog stories, incredible comebacks and unbridled passion, the Heat and the Nuggets provide an intriguing set of storylines that will be worth keeping an eye on.
Many people will be watching to see if history will be made with the Heat’s crown or the Nuggets finally securing their first title. Whatever the result might be, this year’s NBA Finals series has already turned out to be one of the most interesting and entertaining to date. For two teams that weren’t at the forefront of NBA talks this season, they’ve emerged from the shadows and become the ones to watch.
The lack of dominating powerhouses in the league this year has given a chance to the less dominant teams, and with the Finals now upon us, we can rest assured that there’s no telling what might happen. The Heat and Nuggets have defied expectations and all odds stacked against them, and we’re excited to see how the two will go head-to-head in order to become the ones crowned champions in the end.
So whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the sport, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t tune in and be a part of the action as things unfold. With a thrilling match-up and so much at stake, we can’t wait to see what the playoffs have in store for both teams and fans alike.