The Denver Nuggets will play the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. 

The Miami Heat are the first team to reach the NBA Playoffs courtesy of the Play-in Tournament. Miami is aiming to upset the Denver Nuggets for the NBA title.

The Denver Nuggets were the best team in the Western Conference all season. No, Western Conference team won more games than the Nuggets (53).

Denver rolled through the Western Conference playoffs, knocking out the Minnesota Timberwolves 4-1, the Phoenix Suns 4-2, and the LA Lakers 4-0.

Miami, on the other hand, were unfancied to reach the finals. After claiming a playoff spot thanks to the NBA Play-in Tournament, the Heat shocked the No 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the first round.

The Heat then took down the New York Knicks 4-2 before going to seven games with the Boston Celtics. Miami raced out to a 3-0 lead on the Celtics, only to be pegged back 3-3. Miami came up big in Game 7, routing Boston 103-84.

NBA Finals odds

The Denver Nuggets are heavy favorites to win the NBA Finals. The Nuggets are at odds of -350 to win their first NBA title.

Miami has been to the promised land before. The Heat are six-time NBA champions. The team most recently reached the finals in 2020, losing to LeBron James and the Lakers.

Miami’s last NBA title was in 2013, as James helped the Heat win a second straight trophy. Between 2011 and 2014, Miami made the NBA Finals in four straight seasons. The team won two titles in its four consecutive appearances.

Miami is at odds of +250 to win the NBA Finals. Although the Heat are underdogs to win the Finals, they have knocked off the Bucks and Celtics in the postseason. Milwaukee and Boston had the most wins in the NBA’s regular season.

NBA Finals 2023 schedule

The NBA Finals will be a best-of-seven-game series. The last six NBA Finals failed to reach seven games. In fact, the last six NBA Finals all went to six games before ending.

The last NBA Finals sweep occurred in 2018 when the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in four straight games. The 2016 finals between Golden State and Cleveland was the last to go to seven games.

Denver Nuggets (1) vs. Miami Heat (8)

• Game 1: Heat vs. Nuggets | Thurs., June 1
• Game 2: Heat vs. Nuggets | Sun., June 4
• Game 3: Nuggets vs. Heat | Wed., June 7
• Game 4: Nuggets vs. Heat | Fri., June 9
• Game 5: Heat vs. Nuggets | Mon., June 12
• Game 6: Nuggets vs. Heat | Thurs., June 15
• Game 7: Heat vs. Nuggets | Sun., June 18

* if necessary

Recent NBA Champions

Here is a look at the 10 most recent NBA Champions

• 2022 Golden State Warriors
• 2021 Milwaukee Bucks
• 2020 LA Lakers
• 2019 Toronto Raptors
• 2018 Golden State Warriors
• 2017 Golden State Warriors
• 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
• 2015 Golden State Warriors
• 2014 San Antonio Spurs
• 2013 Miami Heat

Additional betting markets

In addition to the outright winner market, there are other markets available for the 2023 NBA Finals.

One of the most exciting markets offered by online bookmakers is the correct number of games market. Bookmaker William Hill is offering this market with the following odds ahead of Game 1:

• 4 Games +500
• 5 Games +200
• 6 Games +240
• 7 Games +240

The last four NBA Finals all went a total of six games. Good luck with your NBA Finals bet on the Nuggets versus the Heat.