The Miami Heat take on the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA finals Thursday Night. Once again many experts are betting against the Heat, but we have a different take on this series.

In order to make the finals in any competition you must fight through adversity, and defeat every team or player that believes it’s their destiny to be the champion. A champion showcases heart, grit and determination when times are toughest.

Heat

Forget everything you knew about the Miami Heat prior to this unbelievable cinderella run to the NBA finals. The fact that Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Caleb Martin were all undrafted free agents doesn’t matter.

All that matters now is that they’re in the finals. These three underdogs; along with Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo have knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics to get there.

Basketball is a team sport and Miami plays as a total working machine. But it was Jimmy Butlers’ single game performance against the Bucks that changed this teams trajectory.

Butler went on to score 56 points and grab nine rebounds, adding two assists. His performance that night helped cascade belief over other players that they were no longer undrafted… They belonged!

Since that offensive eruption, Butler has done less and let his teammates do more.

In game 3 of the Boston series it was Gabe Vincent that took over by scoring 29 and shooting 11-14 from the field. He was unstoppable. Even Marcus Smart (defensive player of the year) had no answers for Vincent.

And although Butler brought them home in game 7 in Boston. It was Caleb Martin who scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He also guarded Jason Tatum with the toughness and moxie of a NBA veteran.

Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets journey to the NBA finals is much different than the Miami heat.

Denver defeated a Phoenix Suns team that had obvious talent, but lacked heart to complete the job. Nikola Jokics‘ heart and bravado were too big for the Suns cast of B- rated stars.

One of his greatest scoring performances was in a losing effort in Phoenix where he scored 53 points. He added 11 assists in a contest where Denver just fell short of victory.

Next on their NBA playoff docket was the Las Angeles Lakers. Because the Lakers were coming off the upset of the champion Warriors; mainstream media pegged them as the favorite— they were wrong!

Denver looked younger, more athletic and hungrier at every turn in this matchup. Being that styles make fights, it was clear that the Lakers were custom made for the Nuggets.

In the previous series we saw Jokic close and finish the Suns, but against the Lakers it was Jamal Murray. His game 3 heroics kept the Lakers constantly treading water. Murray led all Nuggets players by scoring 37 points, adding six assists and seven rebounds.

And as quickly as the series started is as quickly as it was over… Denver won 4-0!

Finals Prediction

As a result of hard work, defense and toughness we get the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets in the finals. And despite what mainstream media says, these are the two best teams in the NBA.

Because head coaches Eric Spoelstra (Miami) and Michael Malone (Denver) will have their squads ready to play, I expect a well balanced attack from each team.

The Key matchup for Miami will be how well Bam Adebayo can handle Jokic one-on-one. He doesn’t have to be perfect, but he can’t allow ‘Joker’ to become a problem.

This NBA finals will go to the seventh game, and be won by the team that has been pushed in the toughest moments.

Prediction: Miami Heat contain Jokic with the speed of Adebayo and continue to prove the doubters wrong by winning the 2023 NBA Finals!

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