NBA Futures Tracker, 2022/23 Finals
We are just days away from the 2022/23 NBA Finals between the Western Conference powerhouse Denver Nuggets and the red-hot Miami Heat.
Bet Nation looks at both sides, their journey to the Finals and the players who can lead them to the championship.
Denver Nuggets
$1.25
Regular Season: #1 Seed (53-29)
Post-Season Victories: #8 Minnesota (4-1), #4 Phoenix (4-2), #7 LA Lakers (4-2)
Finals MVP Candidate/s: Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray
The Denver Nuggets will enter their first-ever NBA Finals series as short-priced favourites after completing a sweep of the LA Lakers and taking the extra week to prepare themselves for the home-court advantage.
Ranked No. 1 in the Western Conference all season, the Nuggets made their Denver base a fortress with a 34-7 home record, helping them to 53 wins overall at .646.
Undoubtedly, the key to the Nuggets’ hopes lies with two-time MVP and this year’s runner-up for the award, Nikola Jokic, after he led his side with averages of 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists throughout the regular season. The Joker’s performances have gone to another level in the playoffs, with the Serbian superstar dominating the Wolves, Suns and Lakers with a triple-double average of 29.9p, 13.3r and 10.3a.
Jokic has found able support in the form of Jamal Murray this post-season, with the star guard dropping an additional 7.7 points (27.7) compared to his regular season average. He’s also lifted in rebounds and steals, proving himself an ice-cold operator when the pressure is applied.
Should they continue the form that’s led them to the #1 seed and a Western Conference Finals sweep, it will be the fairytale Denver has longed for since the days of the Larks in 1967.
Miami Heat
$4.00
Regular Season: #8 Seed (44-38)
Post-Season Victories: #1 Milwaukee Bucks (4-1), #5 New York Knicks (4-2), #2 Boston Celtics (4-3)
Finals MVP Candidate: Jimmy Butler
Miami Culture has been the talk of the 2022/23 Playoffs, with the Heat becoming just the second team in history to make the NBA Finals as an 8th seed.
It’s been an incredible route to the Finals for Florida’s finest, with series wins against the top two seeds, including a seven-game thriller against the Celtics. After giving up a 3-0 lead and having to close out the Eastern Conference Finals in Boston, the Heat once again showcased their innate ability to handle pressure with a dominant Game 7 performance.
While the stories of Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, and Max Strus will be etched into Miami folklore should they handle their business in the Finals, Jimmy Butler has clearly led this side through a longer-than-usual post-season run.
Like Jokic in Denver, Butler has increased his output during the Playoffs with 28.5p, 7.0r and 5.7a. Bam Adebayo has been the perfect #2 with 16.8p and 9.2r, while Martin and Vincent have exploded while Tyler Herro has been sidelined with injury.
The odds are against them in almost every way, but the Miami Culture has already proved it knows nothing of markets as they defy expectations.
