It’s time for the NBA finals as Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets take on Jimmy Butler and Miami Heat. We’ve previewed the upcoming series and picked out some of the best betting tips from the latest basketball odds.
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NBA Finals Preview
The Denver Nuggets continue their search for a first championship and will be huge favourites to lift the trophy. The number one seed in the West head into the NBA finals having swept the LA Lakers 4-0 in an utterly dominant display.
Unlike Denver, not too many would have predicted Miami to make the final. A play-in was required to see them into the post-season but they have since got the job done when it really mattered. A 4-3 thriller against the Boston Celtics saw them book a spot in the finals where they will go head-to-head with basketball’s most consistent outfit.
The Nuggets have gotten the better of Miami in both of their meetings this season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was on hand to drive Denver to a 124-119 victory on home soil, while a 27-point double-double courtesy of the Joker guided them to a 108-112 win on the road.
Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat: Key Players
When it comes to the Nuggets, there is really only one man you can focus on. Jokic had yet another remarkable regular season campaign, but has turned it up a notch in the play offs. The centre is averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists per game. The Joker has put up ridiculous numbers in the biggest games, including a 53-pointer in Denver’s last defeat against Phoenix Suns.
Although Bam Adebayo will have a crucial job in trying to stop Jokic, Miami’s chances of winning a ring lay solely on the shoulders of Jimmy Butler. He has been their biggest scorer this season by a distance and will need to be at his very best to take this series deep.
NBA Finals Betting Tips
Any player to have a 50+ point game in the series: Yes – 7.75
Jokic and Butler are of course the two most likely to have a huge game in the finals. Jokic has already registered a 50+ pointer in the play offs and we would be surprised to see him up the ante once again on the biggest stage.
Nikola Jokic to score most points in the series – 2.10
He has the highest average points from these two rosters in the play offs and we expect his supreme scoring rate to continue. Adebayo might have made the All-Defensive second team, but he will do well to compete with the Joker.
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