SUMMARY
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The Denver Nuggets captured their first NBA championship after slipping past the Miami Heat, 94-89, in a thrilling Game 5 finish on Monday, June 12 (Tuesday, June 13, Manila time).
Nikola Jokic bagged the Finals MVP after averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in the series.
Preview
MANILA, Philippines – End or extend?
As the 2023 NBA Finals heads back to the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado for Game 5 on Monday, June 12 (Tuesday, June 13, Manila time), the Denver Nuggets are in prime position to dispatch the Miami Heat and bag their first-ever NBA title.
The Nuggets are coming off a resounding 108-95 win over the Heat in Game 4, thanks to the efforts of unlikely heroes Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown.
With their superstar center Nikola Jokic in foul trouble and high-scoring guard Jamal Murray struggling from the field, Gordon took on the scoring cudgels for the Nuggets and sizzled for a team-best 27 points, including a surprising 3-of-4 clip from beyond the arc.
Brown, meanwhile, delivered when it counted the most and poured in 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to help Denver fend off Miami’s comeback attempts and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Miami, on the other hand, leaned on its superstar forward Jimmy Butler and All-Star big man Bam Adebayo anew as starters Gabe Vincent and Max Strus failed to make their presence felt for the second straight outing.
With their backs now against the wall, watch out for Butler, who has yet to deliver a statement game in this series, to go all-out and take care of business for the Heat as they seek to avoid elimination and return to Miami for Game 6.
In order to stay alive, the Heat should brace for huge scoring performances from Jokic and Murray – who combined for only 38 points on 13-of-36 shooting in Game 4 after both recording 30-point triple-doubles in Game 3.
Will the Nuggets close out the series or will the Heat live to fight another day?
Game time is 8:30 am.
– Rappler.com
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