"LET'S FIGHT IN THE BACK"

This Rivalry is Going Under the Radar

This isn't your typical rivalry, unlike the Yankees vs. Red Sox or the Lakers vs. Celtics. Rivalries have evolved over the years, especially in the NBA. Nowadays, it's often about the players within the organizations who have personal conflicts, rather than the organizations themselves. While the fans may have their own perspectives, let's focus on the on-court action we can expect in tonight's matchup. In tonight’s NBA Finals, we have players known for their intensity. 😤

Although there isn't a historical rivalry between the Nuggets and the Heat, two superstars from each team were involved in a heated confrontation during a regular season game in 2021. After the incident, Jimmy Butler defended his teammate and confronted Nikola Jokić on the bench. Jokić later apologized for his actions, but this intense showdown in this year's NBA Finals could reignite the rivalry between the two star players.

Clearly, there's some tension between these teams, and I anticipate it will manifest during this series. Butler and Jokić have a history of what some may describe as intense competitiveness. It's reasonable to expect their rivalry to intensify on the biggest stage of their careers.

There has been a recent statement from Butler claiming that his remarks were not directed at Jokić in the 2021 regular season game. If that is true, who was it directed to and does this squash the beef both teams may have?

Just like a fight between the two superstars in real life, this series is David vs Goliath. Let’s see if the Heat have a chance.👇

NBA Finals Game 1: Nuggets vs Heat Predictions & Best Bets

We will dive into our expert predictions, prop bets, and parlays.

Few could have predicted the 2023 NBA Finals matchup. The top-seeded Denver Nuggets representing the Western Conference is hardly a surprise, but the No. 8 Miami Heat coming out of the Eastern Conference to meet them was hardly expected.

Nevertheless, this year’s series is shaping up to be a great one. Denver has made its way to the grand stage with ease, while Miami has knocked off several of the league’s top contenders en route to an unlikely — albeit deserved — appearance.

Predictions

The Nuggets have opened as heavy favorites to win their first NBA Finals at -425. However, if we’ve learned anything from Miami’s run, it’s that we should take extreme caution when overlooking the Heat. Let’s look ahead at the series and provide our best bets and predictions for the 2023 NBA Finals between the Nuggets and Heat.

Prop Bets

Between Nikola Jokić and Jimmy Butler, we can expect many top-tier individual performances in this series. Prop betting on those two, in particular, should prove to be especially profitable.

Parlays

One of the best ways to get in on the action? Same-game parlays. By combining our best bets for each game, we can go all-out and maximize our potential earnings with a parlay.

Nuggets -9.5 (-115)

I’m hesitant to go against the Heat here, who are a league-best 13-5 against the spread this postseason. This is also a significant margin — the Nuggets did sweep the Los Angeles Lakers — but their average margin of victory in the series was just six points.

With that said, Denver has had plenty of time to prepare for its next opponent, and this is bound to be the toughest environment Miami has played in thus far. The Nuggets are about to take part in their first NBA Finals in franchise history, and the Heat’s legs are bound to feel especially heavy at this elevation.

Given the circumstances, I’m locking in the Nuggets to cover as -9.5 point favorites.

Over 218.5 Points (-110)

The Nuggets haven’t played in many low-scoring games this postseason, and I’m expecting that trend to continue in Game 1. This offense has proven to be virtually unstoppable, and if they look to push the pace early, Miami will have no choice but to try and keep up.

I do have some concerns here about the Heat’s ability to do their share of the work in getting this one Over 218.5 points, but their offense has looked much better in the playoffs. Assuming they aren’t too tired from their series with the Celtics, I would expect them to score at least 105 points.

Nikola Jokić: Over 27.5 Points (-115)

Get ready for Jokić to put up some massive numbers in this series. The two-time MVP is in the midst of a historic playoffs, averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists through his first 15 games.

Jokić’s points prop for Game 1 is set at 27.5, a mark he’s met nine times this postseason. Although he’s facing off with a four-time All-Defensive center in Bam Adebayo, no team or player has proven capable of slowing him down just yet. That includes Anthony Davis and Rudy Gobert.

Regardless of how Miami chooses to defend him, Jokić will have an answer. In addition to his success as a scorer in the paint, he’s also knocking down 47.4% of his three-point attempts this postseason.

Jimmy Butler: 30+ Points (+145)

The Nuggets have been susceptible to individual scoring outbursts throughout the playoffs — some of it by design — and Butler looks like the next in line.

Although he struggled at times in the Eastern Conference Finals, Butler’s brilliance as a scorer can’t go unrecognized. After all, the 33-year-old kicked things off by averaging 37.6 points per game against the Milwaukee Bucks, which included two performances of 40-plus points.

Anthony Edwards (31.6 points), Devin Booker (30.8), Kevin Durant (29.5), and LeBron James (27.8) have all had individual success against Denver’s defense this postseason. Butler will want to make a statement in Game 1, and the blueprint is there for him to get it done.

Read more from Garrett Chorpenning’s Nuggets vs Heat best bets.

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Jimmy Butler reacts to a voice message sent to him after Boston tied the series 3-3.

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