NBA Finals: why the Miami Heat will win?

For the second time in four years, the Miami Heat qualified for the NBA Finals behind the duo formed by Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. The team will face the Denver Nuggets there. And that’s why they’re going to win in the end.

Jimmy ‘Freaking’ Buckets! The course of the Miami Heat is as improbable as it is brilliant in these 2023 playoffs. Do you like the stories of challengers who, alone against all, make all their detractors lie and manage to climb to the top? You are, without knowing it, the number one fan of the Miami Heat.

After a rather disappointing regular season, and a passage through the “play-in” which saw them lose at home against Atlanta before obtaining the 8th and last qualifying place in the Eastern Conference in a victory in the snatch against the Chicago Bulls, Miami found themselves facing the then huge favorites for the NBA title, the Milwaukee Bucks, in the first round. And that’s when the madness began. The Heat was literally transformed, winning convincingly against the Bucks (4-1), then the Knicks (4-2) in the semi-finals, before meeting Boston in the conference final.

There, everyone thought the step would be too high against the other Eastern Conference favorite. Nay. Miami won the first 3 games of their duel against the Celtics… before losing the next three. It should be noted that, in the history of the NBA, never has a team been inclined after leading 3-0. Except that in this specific case, Miami found itself with the heavy task of having to impose itself on the floor of Boston in a hostile atmosphere… which they did. And here they are, against all odds, in the NBA Finals. Are they now the favourites, after beating the odds at every stage of their journey? Of course not.

Denver, a strong opponent

Opposite them stand the Denver Nuggets, with their Serbian pivot doubly crowned with the title of MVP (best player in the league in the regular season, editor’s note) in the two previous seasons, Nikola Jokic, and the offensive genius that is Jamal Murray . These two men are largely responsible for the fact that LeBron James and the Lakers are currently on vacation. And they are perfectly surrounded by complementary players and totally focused on the objective to be achieved, namely winning the first NBA title in the history of the Denver Nuggets.

Nobody (it must be stressed, ANYONE) gives Miami favorite in this duel. But if recent events have taught us anything, it’s that doubting this team’s ability to defy – yet again – all odds will be at your peril. Jimmy Butler’s ability to play penetration and cause fouls should pose huge problems for the Nuggets, who are struggling to effectively defend their basket. Bam Adebayo is both mobile and strong, and should be able to oppose Nikola Jokic credibly. The defense of this team perfectly piloted by Erik Spoelstra, who has probably just established himself as the best coach in the NBA in these playoffs, has unsuspected resources.

Finally, the marksmanship of the other players who make up the Miami Heat workforce will be decisive. Caleb Martin, Gabe Vincent, Max Stus, or even Duncan Robinson have all proven to be more than capable of answering the call in decisive moments. These undrafted players, in whom no one wanted to believe, continue to demonstrate that their rage to win is capable of moving mountains. And those in Colorado will be no exception. Behind the two stars that are Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, armed with their common experience in the final in 2020 in the Bubble (while Denver has never reached this stage of the competition), and carried by the sense of sacrifice and the collective , the Miami Heat will be crowned NBA champion in 2023. There is no doubt about it.