A title they had been waiting for 47 years. The Denver franchise became NBA champions for the first time in franchise history on Monday, June 12, winning the Finals four to one over Miami.
The Nuggets, carried by their leader Nikola Jokic, designated MVP of the finals, won (94-89) during this fifth hard-fought match on their floor. For the Heat, crowned in 2006, 2012 and 2013, this failure is the fourth in seven opportunities after 2011, 2014 and 2020.
The Denver Nuggets are NBA Champions for the 1st time in the franchise’s history �� �� GAME 5 FINAL SCORE �� DEN: 94 MIA: 89 pic.twitter.com/TDGO42ctwt
” It’s good. The job is done and we can go home now,” the Serb said with that unmistakable detachment, even in the greatest moment of his career. “Miami is a great, brave, extraordinary team that I respect a lot. It was an incredible effort from our team. It was a lousy game. We didn’t manage to score many shots, but in the end we figured out how to defend.”
Indeed, that this bitter fifth game was complicated at home, for the Colorado franchise, long struggling at long distance (5/23) and free throws (13/23), bothered by the relentless defense of Miami and, probably, his hands a little shaky when it came to concluding the series (4-1). Especially since Jimmy Butler put on his superhero cape in the last quarter, scoring 13 of his 21 points in three minutes. But he ended up cracking, with a bad pass and a missed shot in the dying seconds.
And all Denver to finally exult, but not Jokic, first left to shake hands with the losers and phlegmatic until the end, even to receive his MVP trophy with a half-smile with his daughter in his arms, while his two older brothers were overwhelmed with tears. The Serb was again giant, in this match the least successful collectively of his team (28 pts, 16 rebounds), leading it to a deserved coronation, for his first final in 47 seasons of presence in the league.
Ultra-dominant, endowed with an exceptional basketball IQ, altruistic as possible, he sparkled throughout this final. Already elected double MVP of the regular season in 2021 and 2022, he can no longer be challenged for the unofficial status of the best player on the planet, just like in tennis his compatriot Novak Djokovic, winner Sunday of a 23rd great record slam at Roland-Garros.
This achievement by the Nuggets crowns an almost perfect season, finished in first place in the Western Conference, prior to the play-offs where their domination was undeniable. It also rewards the bet on continuity made by its leaders, in the first place. including franchise owner Stan Kroenke, adept at patience in a world of emergency, and already champion in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and in the NHL with the Colorado Avalanche.
Because it’s been eight years since coach Michael Malone began to pave the way to success, with in this team, where the collective prevails over the individual, a leader who embodies this value better than anyone else: Nikola Jokic arrived in same time as him in Colorado after being drafted the previous year in 41st position, to general indifference.
In that decisive game, for which Malone had instructed his players to approach him with the bit in their teeth as if they were the ones trailing 3-1, it was the Heat who first showed their fangs. Apart from Michael Porter Jr (16 pts, 14 rbds), the gamberge won Jamal Murray (14 pts, 8 assists) and Aaron Gordon (4 pts), yet so strong in this final. So Denver shook until the end, but had to save their defense as Jokic pointed out.
Because Bam Adebayo, untenable with his 18 points in the first period, could only add 2 afterwards (12 rebounds). Proof that not even much was wrong, the Nuggets were simply too strong for the Heat, unpredictably until the final, after passing ric-rac by the second qualifying play-off game for the play-offs.
Successively, Miami thwarted the forecasts, dismissing the Bucks of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reborn Knicks and the Celtics finalists last year. But the mountain at the foot of the Rockies, nicknamed “Mile High City” for its 1,609m altitude, was too high for the Floridians, who dreamed of making history by becoming the number one seeded team. 8 NBA champion.
Instead, crowned in 2006, 2012 and 2013, they can only deplore this fourth failure in seven opportunities on the last step after 2011, 2014 and 2020. What could be more normal after all than a gold rush finding its pioneers in Colorado…