| ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| Dates: | June 1–12, 2023 | |||||||||
| MVP: | Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets) | |||||||||
| Eastern Finals: | Heat defeated Celtics, 4–3 | |||||||||
| Western Finals: | Nuggets defeated Lakers, 4–0 | |||||||||
| NBA Finals | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ← 2022 | ||||||||||
| 2024 → | ||||||||||
The 2023 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2022–23 season and conclusion to the season's playoffs.
The series started on June 1, and ended on June 12. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Denver Nuggets defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat to win their first NBA championship in franchise history after 47 seasons in the NBA. Denver's Nikola Jokić was unanimously voted the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP), after averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.4 blocks while shooting 58.3% from the field and 42.1% from the 3-point line. Jokić is the lowest-selected player to ever win Finals MVP, being the 41st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. Sponsored by the streaming service YouTube TV, the series was officially known as the 2023 NBA Finals presented by YouTube TV.
This was the first final to feature a Northwest Division team since the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2012, and only the second since the division was formed in 2004. This marked the first Finals appearance for Denver and seventh for Miami. This was also the first final to feature an 8th seed since the New York Knicks back in 1999.
Background[]
Denver Nuggets[]
The Nuggets have had several years of recent success. In 2020, they reached their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2009. However, they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers, who went on to win the 2020 NBA Finals. Denver could not get over the hump after this, largely due to injuries to key players. Jamal Murray, who was crucial to the Nuggets' playoff runs in 2019 and 2020, tore his ACL a month before the start of the 2021 playoffs as the Nuggets were swept by the Phoenix Suns in the second round. The 2021–22 season proved to be challenging as well, as the Nuggets had to play without Murray and lost starting forward Michael Porter Jr. to season-ending back surgery nine games into the season. Despite this, Denver still finished the season with a 48–34 record and earned the sixth seed, led by back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokić and starting Power Forward Aaron Gordon, who the Nuggets acquired in the middle of the 2020–21 season from the Orlando Magic for Gary Harris, RJ Hampton, and a 2025 first-round pick. In the first round of the playoffs, the Nuggets lost in five games to the Golden State Warriors, who went on to win the 2022 NBA Finals.
The Nuggets entered the 2022–23 season with Murray and Porter Jr. healthy again. During the offseason, they traded for starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and rotation player Ish Smith from the Washington Wizards in exchange for Monté Morris and Will Barton. Denver also signed Bruce Brown in free agency and added young talent through the 2022 NBA Draft, selecting Christian Braun and trading for Peyton Watson, giving up draft picks and JaMychal Green. With a healthy roster, the Nuggets finished the season with a 53–29 record and clinched the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Nuggets won in five games over the eight-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves. Denver then faced the fourth-seeded Phoenix Suns, who previously swept them in the Conference Semifinals in 2021. After going up 2–0 in the series, Phoenix won both their home games to even up the series at 2–2, despite a career-high 53 points from Jokić in Game 4. The Nuggets then won game 5 in Denver and beat Phoenix on the road to advance in six games. Denver reached their second Conference Finals in four years, where they faced the seventh-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, who previously defeated them in their first seven postseason matchups. This time, however, the Nuggets defeated the Lakers in four games, marking their first sweep of an opponent in franchise history en route to reaching the Finals for the first time in their history. Jokić was awarded Western Conference Finals MVP, as he surpassed Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles in a single postseason.
Miami Heat[]
Head coach Erik Spoelstra (pictured in 2016) led the eighth-seeded Heat to their sixth NBA Finals under his tenure and seventh overall.
After coming up short in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals as the top seed in the Eastern Conference last season where they lost to the second-seeded Boston Celtics 96–100, the Heat barely qualified for the playoffs this time around. They regressed from their 53–29 record the previous season and finished with a record of 44–38, their worst since the 2018–19 season. Additionally, they finished the regular season ranked dead last in points per game and were the only team in the league to qualify for the playoffs with a negative point differential. Although they finished 7th in the regular season standings, Miami had to go through two play-in games to extend their season, losing to the Atlanta Hawks in the first and defeating the Chicago Bulls in the second, earning the 8th seed in the NBA playoffs.
In the first round, they faced the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, the team with the best record in the league and widely projected to be the favorites to win the championship. The Heat took Game 1 on the road after Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion in the first half that ruled him out for the remainder of Game 1, as well as the next two games. The Heat also lost star power of their own, as they lost starter Tyler Herro in Game 1 with a broken hand, and Victor Oladipo with a torn left patellar tendon in Game 3. Despite their setbacks, the Heat still managed to take a 2–1 series lead. In Game 4, the Heat trailed by 12 with under six minutes remaining, but they went on a pivotal 30–13 run down the stretch, with Jimmy Butler scoring a career-high 56 points in a 119–114 victory to put the Bucks on the brink of elimination. The Heat then overcame a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit in Game 5 to become the sixth 8-seeded team to defeat a 1-seeded team in playoff history. Butler, who averaged just 22.9 points in the regular season, finished the first round averaging 37.6 points on 60% from the field.
Later in the Conference Semifinals, they defeated the New York Knicks in six games to reach their third conference finals in the past four seasons, where they faced the Boston Celtics, who finished with the second best record in the league, in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat led the series 3–0 before the Celtics won the next three games to force a Game 7, in which Miami won 103–84, earning their seventh NBA Finals appearance. Butler was named the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, while Caleb Martin, who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, finished the conference finals averaging 19.3 points. The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 New York Knicks to reach the NBA Finals, and the first eighth-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. Outside of Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat got a majority of their playoff production from undrafted players such as Martin, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson, Max Strus, and Haywood Highsmith, as well as veterans Kyle Lowry, Cody Zeller, and Kevin Love, the latter of whom Miami acquired in February 2023 after he was bought out by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
2023 NBA Playoffs[]
| Denver Nuggets (Western Conference Champion) | Miami Heat (Eastern Conference Champion) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53–29 (.646)
1st Northwest, 1st West, 4th Overall |
Regular season | 44–38 (.537)
1st Southeast, 7th East, 13th Overall | ||
| Defeated the (8) Minnesota Timberwolves, 4–1 | First Round | Defeated the (1) Milwaukee Bucks, 4–1 | ||
| Defeated the (4) Phoenix Suns, 4–2 | Conference Semifinals | Defeated the (5) New York Knicks, 4–2 | ||
| Defeated the (7) Los Angeles Lakers, 4–0 | Conference Finals | Defeated the (2) Boston Celtics, 4–3 | ||
Regular season series[]
The Nuggets won the regular season series 2–0.
| December 30, 2022 | Recap | Miami Heat 119, Denver Nuggets 124 | Ball Arena, Denver, CO Attendance: 19,638 Referees: Sean Wright, Tre Maddox, Jason Goldenberg | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 19-23, 38-37, 33-25, 39-29 | ||||||
| Pts: Tyler Herro 26 Rebs: Tyler Herro 10 Asts: Tyler Herro 5 |
Pts: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 20 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 12 Asts: Nikola Jokić 12 | |||||
| February 13, 2023 | Recap | Denver Nuggets 112, Miami Heat 108 | Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, Florida Attendance: 19,755 Referees: Courtney Kirkland, Ray Acosta, Jenna Schroeder | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 36-27, 38-26, 24-21, 25-23 | ||||||
| Pts: Nikola Jokić 27 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 12 Asts: Nikola Jokić 8 |
Pts: Jimmy Butler 24 Rebs: Jimmy Butler 10 Asts: Jimmy Butler 9 | |||||
Series summary[]
On April 26, the NBA announced that the start times for all the weeknight Finals games will move up from 9 pm to 8:30 pm EDT for the first time in 20 years. Sunday start times remained at 8:00 p.m. EDT.
| Game | Date | Away Team | Result | Home Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Thursday, June 1 | Miami | 93–104 (0–1) | Denver |
| Game 2 | Sunday, June 4 | Miami | 111–108 (1–1) | Denver |
| Game 3 | Wednesday, June 7 | Denver | 109–94 (2–1) | Miami |
| Game 4 | Friday, June 9 | Denver | 108–95 (3–1) | Miami |
| Game 5 | Monday, June 12 | Miami | 89–94 (1–4) | Denver |
Game summaries[]
Note: Times are EDT (UTC−4) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.
Game 1[]
| Game 1 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 20 | 22 | 21 | 30 | 93 |
| Nuggets | 29 | 30 | 25 | 30 | 104 |
| June 1 8:30 pm |
Recap | Miami Heat 93, Denver Nuggets 104 | Ball Arena, Denver, CO Attendance: 19,528 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–29, 22–30, 21–25, 30–20 | |||||||
| Pts: Bam Adebayo 26 Rebs: Bam Adebayo 13 Asts: Jimmy Butler 7 |
Pts: Nikola Jokić 27 Rebs: Michael Porter Jr. 13 Asts: Nikola Jokić 14 | ||||||
| Denver lead series, 1–0 | |||||||
Nikola Jokić had a triple-double and Jamal Murray contributed 26 points and 10 assists to lead Denver to a 104–93 win in their inaugural NBA Finals appearance. The Nuggets trailed for just 34 seconds in the game, and its largest lead was 24. Michael Porter Jr. recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs, while Aaron Gordon set the tone by scoring 12 of his 16 points in the opening quarter. Bam Adebayo had 26 points and 13 rebounds for Miami, who made just 41% of their field goals and 33% of their three-pointers. Denver remained unbeaten at home in the playoffs, while the Heat had been 3–0 in their series openers. Miami also dropped to 1–6 all-time in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Jokić had 10 points and 10 assists by halftime, when Denver was up 59–42. Through the first three quarters, Miami guarded him with Adebayo, Cody Zeller, and a zone defense, forcing Jokić to become a passer. The Heat went on an 11–0 run to start the fourth quarter, cutting an 84–63 deficit to 84–74. Nuggets coach Michael Malone countered by having Jokić post up closer to the basket, and he scored 12 points in the final period. Miami came within nine points after a 3-pointer by Haywood Highsmith with 2:34 remaining, but did not come any closer. Highsmith finished with 18 points off the bench, while Gabe Vincent hit five 3-pointers for Miami.
Jokić had 27 points on 67% shooting to go along with 14 assists and 10 rebounds, joining Jason Kidd of the then-New Jersey Nets as the only NBA players with a triple-double in their finals debuts. Jokić and Murray also became the second pair of teammates to each put up at least 25 points and 10 assists in a finals game since Magic Johnson and James Worthy in 1987. The Heat's Caleb Martin shot just 1 of 7, and Max Strus was 0 for 10, missing all nine of his 3-pointers. Jimmy Butler, who entered the finals averaging 28.5 points this postseason, scored a playoff-low 13 points. Additionally, Miami was just 2 for 2 from on its free throws, tied for the fewest free throws made in a playoff game and breaking the record for fewest attempts in a playoff game.
Game 2[]
| Game 2 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 26 | 25 | 24 | 36 | 111 |
| Nuggets | 23 | 34 | 26 | 25 | 108 |
| June 4 8:00 pm |
Recap | Miami Heat 111, Denver Nuggets 108 | Ball Arena, Denver, CO Attendance: 19,537 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 25–34, 24–26, 36–25 | |||||||
| Pts: Gabe Vincent 23 Rebs: Kevin Love 10 Asts: Jimmy Butler 9 |
Pts: Nikola Jokić 41 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 11 Asts: Jamal Murray 10 | ||||||
| Series tied, 1–1 | |||||||
Miami rallied from a 15-point deficit to win 111–108 behind 23 points from Vincent and 21 each from Butler and Adebayo, becoming the first No. 8 seed to win an NBA Finals game on the road and won their Finals game on the road since 2014 against the San Antonio Spurs also in Game 2. The Heat built an early 21–10 lead with 4:56 left in the opening quarter before the Nuggets went on a 40–14 run over the next 12 minutes, turning the double-digit deficit into a double-digit lead. Down by eight entering the fourth quarter, the Heat outscored Denver 32–12 in the opening 8:21 of the fourth quarter to take a 12-point lead, then frittered most of it away and had to survive a 3-point try by Murray that missed as time expired. Miami knocked down 17 of their 35 threes and converted 18 of 20 free throws after making just two in Game 1. Jokić scored a game-high 41 points, but recorded a playoff-low four assists as the Nuggets lost their first home game since March 30.
With Martin dealing with an illness, Miami elected to insert Kevin Love, who did not play in Game 1, into the starting lineup. Strus, who was 0 for 10 in Game 1, had four 3-pointers in the first quarter as the Heat jumped out to an early 11-point lead, but the Nuggets reclaimed momentum early in the second quarter with four 3-pointers in a 70-second span as Miami trailed by as much as 15 in the first half. Despite an 18-point third quarter from Jokić, the Heat hung around to trail by eight entering the fourth quarter. Coming into the game, Denver was undefeated in the playoffs when leading by double digits and boasted a 37–1 record for the season when leading by at least eight points going into the final quarter.
Miami opened the first 2:43 of the fourth quarter with a 15–2 scoring run, highlighted by Duncan Robinson going 4 for 4 from the field to give the Heat their first lead of the second half. Miami managed to build a 12-point advantage with under 3:30 remaining but had to weather a late surge from the Nuggets, who cut the lead to three with 35 seconds remaining. After a missed 3-pointer from Butler, Denver chose not to call a timeout in the closing seconds. Murray attempted a last-second 3-point shot that could have tied the game, but it fell short. Murray finished with 18 points and 10 assists, while Jokić converted 16 of his 28 field goals as the Nuggets dropped to 0–3 this postseason when Jokić scores 40 or more points.
Game 3[]
| Game 3 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 24 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 109 |
| Heat | 24 | 24 | 20 | 26 | 94 |
| June 7 8:30 pm |
Recap | Denver Nuggets 109, Miami Heat 94 | Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida Attendance: 20,019 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–24, 29–24, 29–20, 27–26 | |||||||
| Pts: Jamal Murray 34 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 21 Asts: Jokić, Murray 10 each |
Pts: Jimmy Butler 28 Rebs: Bam Adebayo 17 Asts: Lowry, Strus 5 each | ||||||
| Denver leads series, 2–1 | |||||||
Jokić and Murray became the first pair of teammates in NBA history to each record a 30-point triple-double in the same game as the Nuggets won 109–94, reclaiming the series lead. After a tight first half that saw neither team claim a lead bigger than five, the Heat never led in the second half, as Denver pushed the lead to double digits for the first time early in the third quarter and led by as much as 21 later in the half. The Nuggets won their fourth straight road game, while Miami lost their third straight home game after starting off 6–0 at home this postseason.
Jokić and Murray combined for 24 made field goals, while the entire Heat team managed 34. The duo also contributed significantly on the glass, grabbing a combined 31 rebounds to the Heat's total of 33, while their 20 assists matched Miami's total of 20. For Jokić, this marked his 10th triple-double of the playoffs, further extending his single-season record for triple-doubles in a single playoff run. He finished the game by converting 12 of his 21 shot attempts, while his 32 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists made him the first player to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a finals game. For Murray, he finished with a game-high 34 points on 55% from the field to go along with 10 boards and 10 assists, joining Magic Johnson and Bob Cousy as the only players in finals history to record 10+ assists in three consecutive games.
Jokić and Murray also received contributions from their teammates, as Christian Braun scored 15 points on 7 for 8 shooting in 19 minutes off the bench, while Aaron Gordon added a double-double as Denver dominated the boards (58 to 33) and points in the paint (60 to 34). For Miami, Butler finished with 28 points, and Adebayo recorded 22 points and 17 rebounds but only made seven of his 21 shot attempts. Vincent and Max Strus shot a combined 3 for 17 as the Heat finished the game shooting 37% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc. Notably, Udonis Haslem (42 years, 363 days) became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the game's final minute.
Game 4[]
| Game 4 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nuggets | 20 | 35 | 31 | 22 | 108 |
| Heat | 21 | 30 | 22 | 22 | 95 |
| June 9 8:30 pm |
Recap | Denver Nuggets 108, Miami Heat 95 | Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida Attendance: 20,184 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–21, 35–30, 31–22, 22–22 | |||||||
| Pts: Aaron Gordon 27 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 21 Asts: Jamal Murray 12 |
Pts: Jimmy Butler 25 Rebs: Bam Adebayo 11 Asts: Butler, Lowry 7 each | ||||||
| Denver leads series, 3–1 | |||||||
Aaron Gordon dropped a game-high 27 points on 11-of-15 from the field, Jokić chipped in 23 points and 12 rebounds, and Murray recorded 15 points and 12 assists as the Nuggets took a commanding 3–1 series lead back to Denver. Bruce Brown came off the bench and scored 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter, thwarting any attempt by the Heat to overcome their eighth double-digit deficit of the playoffs. The Nuggets won their fifth straight road game, improving to 9–1 in their last ten playoff games, while Miami dropped to 2–6 in their last eight games, as they fell into a 3–1 hole for the third consecutive finals appearance.
After neither team could claim a double-digit lead in the first half for the second consecutive game, the Nuggets led by 13 going into the fourth quarter. Similar to their game 2 victory, the Heat scored the first eight points of the quarter, and Jokić committed his fifth foul and had to go to the bench with 9:24 left. Miami narrowed the lead to five with 8:42 remaining, but the Nuggets held firm, as Brown scored half of Denver's 22 fourth quarter points. Murray, who committed seven turnovers in game 3, finished the game with 12 assists and zero turnovers, joining Magic Johnson and Robert Reid as the only players to record 12+ assists with zero turnovers in a finals game.
Butler led the Heat with 25 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists, while Adebayo had 20 points, 11 rebounds, and seven turnovers. Kyle Lowry chipped in with 13 points and seven assists, but the starting backcourt of Strus and Vincent scored just two points on 1 of 10 shooting as the Heat were held to under 100 points for the third time this series. The Nuggets made 14 of their 28 3-pointers, while Miami shot just 32% from deep and committed 15 turnovers after having just four in game 3. Jokić and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope combined for six steals and five blocks, while the entire Heat team finished with just two steals and three blocks. Jokić also became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
Game 5[]
| Game 5 | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 24 | 27 | 20 | 18 | 89 |
| Nuggets | 22 | 22 | 26 | 24 | 94 |
| June 12 8:30 pm |
Recap | Miami Heat 89, Denver Nuggets 94 | Ball Arena, Denver, CO Attendance: 19,537 Referees:
|
ABC | |||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–22, 27–22, 20–26, 18–24 | |||||||
| Pts: Jimmy Butler 21 Rebs: Bam Adebayo 12 Asts: Jimmy Butler 5 |
Pts: Nikola Jokić 28 Rebs: Nikola Jokić 16 Asts: Jamal Murray 8 | ||||||
| Denver wins NBA Finals, 4–1 | |||||||
In a closely contested Game 5, Jokić propelled the Nuggets to their first NBA championship in franchise history with a hard-fought 94–89 victory over the Heat. Jokic's dominant performance, including 28 points and 16 rebounds, earned him the Finals MVP Award. The Nuggets struggled with their shooting throughout the game, particularly from beyond the arc, as they missed 20 of their first 22 three-point attempts. However, Jokic's efficient 12-of-16 shooting from the field provided a much-needed boost, ultimately allowing Denver to secure the title. Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
Despite a late surge from Butler, who contributed 21 points for the Heat, Miami's shooting woes ultimately proved costly. The Heat finished the game shooting an inadequate 34% from the field and 26% from three-point range. Butler, initially struggling with his shot, managed to score 13 consecutive points for Miami to give them a one-point lead with two minutes to go. However, a crucial offensive rebound and tip-in by Brown swung the momentum back in favor of the Nuggets. Butler's missed three-pointer and free throws from Brown and Pope in the final seconds sealed the win for Denver.
The contest was characterized by both teams' poor shooting performances and turnovers. The Nuggets, who entered the game with a series shooting average of 37.6% from three-point range, struggled immensely, converting only 18% of their attempts. Additionally, Denver committed 15 turnovers and missed 10 free throws throughout the game. Despite these struggles, the Nuggets managed to stay within reach of the Heat, trailing by just seven points at halftime despite shooting a historically poor 6.7% from three-point range in the first half. Denver become the second original ABA franchise, along with the San Antonio Spurs, to win an NBA championship. The other two ABA teams had been to the NBA Finals but lost: Indiana Pacers (2000) and the New Jersey Nets (2002 and 2003).
Player statistics[]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | 5 | 5 | 41.7 | .455 | .000 | .905 | 12.4 | 3.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 21.8 |
| Jimmy Butler | 5 | 5 | 41.1 | .413 | .368 | .806 | 4.6 | 6.4 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 21.6 |
| Gabe Vincent | 5 | 5 | 28.4 | .382 | .333 | .833 | 0.4 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 11.4 |
| Max Strus | 5 | 5 | 25.0 | .233 | .188 | .750 | 4.8 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 5.8 |
| Kevin Love | 4 | 4 | 17.7 | .375 | .400 | 1.000 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 6.8 |
| Caleb Martin | 5 | 1 | 28.5 | .375 | .333 | 1.000 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 7.4 |
| Kyle Lowry | 5 | 0 | 29.2 | .425 | .423 | 1.000 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 1.0 | 0.2 | 10.8 |
| Duncan Robinson | 5 | 0 | 18.9 | .500 | .429 | .000 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 7.8 |
| Haywood Highsmith | 5 | 0 | 7.0 | .700 | .500 | 1.000 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
| Cody Zeller | 5 | 0 | 5.4 | .500 | — | — | 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 |
| Nikola Jović | 2 | 0 | 1.0 | .000 | — | — | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Ömer Yurtseven | 2 | 0 | 1.0 | .000 | .000 | — | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Udonis Haslem | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | .000 | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Jokić | 5 | 5 | 41.1 | .583 | .421 | .838 | 14.0 | 7.2 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 30.2 |
| Jamal Murray | 5 | 5 | 42.3 | .451 | .387 | .929 | 6.2 | 10.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 21.4 |
| Aaron Gordon | 5 | 5 | 35.7 | .604 | .556 | .467 | 7.4 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 0.6 | 14.0 |
| Michael Porter Jr. | 5 | 5 | 29.4 | .328 | .143 | .750 | 8.4 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 9.6 |
| Kentavious Caldwell-Pope | 5 | 5 | 34.1 | .355 | .263 | .769 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 7.4 |
| Bruce Brown | 5 | 0 | 26.9 | .457 | .368 | .727 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 11.4 |
| Christian Braun | 5 | 0 | 16.3 | .706 | .000 | .556 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 5.8 |
| Jeff Green | 5 | 0 | 12.9 | .889 | 1.000 | 1.000 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 4.8 |
| DeAndre Jordan | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Reggie Jackson | 1 | 0 | 1.0 | .000 | .000 | — | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Thomas Bryant | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Vlatko Čančar | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Zeke Nnaji | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Peyton Watson | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Media coverage[]
The Finals was televised in the United States by ABC for the 21st consecutive year. Game 1 received an alternate presentation similar to Manningcast, anchored by Stephen A. Smith on ESPN2 and streamed on ESPN+ as NBA in Stephen A's World.
The series was called by Mike Breen on play-by-play with Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson as analysts and Lisa Salters as the sideline reporter.
Viewership[]
| Game | Ratings (households) |
American audience (in millions) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6.0 | 11.58 |
| 2 | 6.0 | 11.91 |
| 3 | 6.0 | 11.24 |
| 4 | 5.4 | 10.41 |
| 5 | 7.0 | 13.48 |
| Avg | 6.1 | 11.64 |
Aftermath[]
Following the Nuggets win, a parade from Union Station to Civic Center Park in Denver was scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 15, with a pre-parade rally an hour before the parade. The parade was planned to emulate the celebration which followed the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals victory by the Colorado Avalanche.
During the celebrations in Downtown Denver immediately following the Nuggets championship win, there were two shootings that resulted in at least eleven people being shot, including one suspect. On the 2000 block of Market Street, the Denver Police Department said nine victims were identified as injured, with an injured suspect located nearby, all with gunshot wounds. Another shooting was reported on 17th Street and Blake Street, with Denver police reporting one victim self-transported to a hospital. Three of those shot were reported as in critical condition as of the morning of June 13, with the remainder not sustaining life-threatening injuries. The celebrations in downtown Denver had been described as "raucous", with fireworks detonating and men climbing streetlights near Coors Field and many fans cheering in McGregor Square.
During the parade on June 15, a Denver police officer was struck in the lower leg by a fire truck which was transporting multiple Nuggets players, including Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray. Jokić's wife, Natalija, was hit in the face with a beer can while riding on the fire truck during the parade.
| Preceded by 2022 |
NBA Finals 2023 |
Succeeded by 2024 |