Miami Heat vs Denver Nuggets Prediction & Match Preview - June 1st, 2023 | NBA Finals, Game 1

The Miami Heat, the first play-in team to reach the NBA Finals, will take on the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 on Thursday. Miami, which has one of the most improbable stories in decades, will attempt to become the first eighth seed to win the championship.

The Heat didn’t even need Tyler Herro to beat the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics. Jimmy Butler and crew sent Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks in five games, the Knicks in six and the Celtics in a seven-game thriller.

Along the way, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has found unsung heroes who have been indispensable in their run to the finals. Caleb Martin, who nearly won the Larry Bird Eastern Conference MVP award over Butler leads the cast.

Miami has gotten crucial and timely contributions from Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, two undrafted players who have shone in the playoffs. They will need to sustain their form for the Heat to have a chance against the Nuggets.

Bam Adebayo, Miami’s 6-9 center may be the most crucial to the Heat’s championship hopes. He will be tasked to slow down two-time MVP Nikola Jokic who is averaging a triple-double entering the finals.

Jokic will not be alone. The Denver Nuggets will also unleash Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon. Denver’s bench unit will be led by the indispensable Bruce Brown.

Outside of the “Joker,” Murray will be a marked man in the series. He has been a revelation in the playoffs and is proving that his 2020 “Bubble” performance was no fluke.

The Miami Heat defense will be a tough riddle to solve for the Denver Nuggets while the Heat will face the playoffs' most potent offense. The team that consistently imposes its will has the bigger chance of lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

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Where to watch

Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets will start at 8:30 PM ET. ABC will air the game on national TV. Fans can also catch the action by streaming the game via The NBA League Pass.

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Game Preview

The Miami Heat survived a lung-busting series against the Boston Celtics. While they were involved in a slugfest, the Denver Nuggets have been watching the Eastern Conference Finals over the past 10 days.

Miami quickly left Boston after Game 7 to acclimate themselves to Denver’s altitude, which is 5,280 feet above sea level. Whether the quick turnaround and the punishing height will be too tough to handle for the Heat remains to be seen.

The Heat have shrugged off adversity since the start of the play-in. Even with all the odds stacked against them, they will like their chances.

The Miami Heat zone defense has hardly taken a break in the postseason. It has flummoxed the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and nearly ran the Celtics into the ground before Boston recovered.

If there’s a team that’s built to bust that zone, that could be the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic operating near the elbow or the top of the key will be the Nuggets’ hard counter. The two-time MVP has the smarts, experience and skills to punish Miami’s pet defense.

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Game prediction

Spread: Nuggets (-9)

Total (O/U): 219

Moneyline: Heat (+310) vs. Nuggets (-400)

The two-day turnaround will be brutal for the Miami Heat in Denver’s Mile High altitude. Jimmy Butler and teammates will be resilient and gritty but they’re still human.

The Denver Nuggets, who have had several days of rest will be ready, primed and draw first blood in the NBA Finals.

Denver Nuggets 125, Miami Heat 115

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