Denver Nuggets are 2023 NBA Champions, the first time ever
The members of the Denver Nuggets inspired by Serb centre Nikola Jokic, put up a spirited effort on Monday to win the team’s first National Basketball Association (NBA) title on Monday. The team defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the 2023 Finals to win 4- in the best-of-seven NBA Finals.
The win brought total joy and wide celebrations to the Mile High City as the home team won its first title in 47 NBA seasons in front of a ferrous sellout crowd inside the Ball Arena in Denver.
And the win seems to have boosted the appetite of the team and its fans.
“I’ve got news for everybody out there. We’re not satisfied with one. We want more,” said Michael Malone, Nuggets coach.
The win was a deserving compensation for Jokic, who was impressive in the five games of the Finals. The two-time NBA Most Valuable Player (NVP) and five-time All-Star centre was named this year’s Finals NVP. Michael Porter Jr. added 16 points and 13 rebounds and Jamal Murray added 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets.
“It was amazing effort by the team.
“It was an ugly game. We couldn’t make shots. But at the end we figured it out, how to defend and we scored 90 points. That’s why we won. I’m just happy we won the game.
“It’s good. The job is done and we can go home now,” Jokic said after the game.
Denver was not too impressive in the first three-quarters of the game and appeared to be struggling while Jokic carried the team. He hit a double-double of 28 points and 16 rebounds in the game. Michael Porter Jr. added 16 points and 13 rebounds and Jamal Murray added 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets.
On the other hand, Jimmy Butler led Miami with 21 points while Bam Adebayo added 20 and 12 rebounds.
The final minutes of the game were tension-soaked as the Nuggets players had to bring intensity and physical defending to achieve a historic win for the franchise.
Jamal Murray’s jumper gave Denver an 81-76 lead with 6:43 minutes remaining while the Heat began the fourth quarter hitting only 2-for-14 from the floor and going scoreless for more than five minutes.
Butler, who had struggled all night, sank back-to-back 3-pointers and made three free throws after a controversial foul on Denver’s Aaron Gordon was upheld on video review.
Butler and Jokic traded hoops and Butler followed with two free throws to give Miami an 89-88 lead.
Bruce Brown answered with a rebound basket to put Denver ahead 90-88 and Max Strus missed a 3-pointer for Miami to give Denver the ball with 1:09 remaining.
Jokic and Gordon missed shots and Strus rebounded for Miami.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stole a pass by Butler and sank two clutch free throws with 24 seconds remaining to give Denver a 92-89 edge.
Butler missed a 3-pointer just as Brown grabbed a rebound for Denver and then made two free throws to seal the victory with 14 seconds remaining.
“We’re winning for the guys next to us.
“That’s why this means so much. Everything this year is amazing. We believe in each other,” Jokic said
AFP
