On Thursday night, the NBA Finals will get underway with Game 1 of this seven-game series set to take place in the Mile High City with the Denver Nuggets playing host to the visiting Miami Heat.
After a hard-fought series against the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat prevailed by blowing out Jayson Tatum and company in Game 7 on the road at TD Garden.
This marked yet another upset for the Heat, as Jimmy Butler and company continue to dominate the competition in the NBA playoffs despite being the eighth seed and having to punch their ticket to the postseason through the play-in tournament.
As for the Nuggets, Nikola Jokic and his squad have been well-rested after crushing the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals and advancing in a four-game sweep.
With Game 1 tipping off tonight, the odds have been updated, with the Nuggets not surprisingly being the favorites to win it all, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, via Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Odds update entering the 2023 NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat, per @FDSportsbook: pic.twitter.com/mEAK3crPBW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 1, 2023
With the Heat defying the odds throughout the entire playoffs up to this point, these odds mean nothing to Erik Spoelstra and his squad, as they’ve embraced the underdog role and flourished.
Miami proved to be the real deal right away in the first round by getting the best of the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks and superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in five games.
The Heat will have to take down another top-seeded opponent, with the Nuggets dominating the West all year, leading to their No. 1 seed and a trip to the Finals for the first time in franchise history.
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