The NBA Finals are set with the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat advancing, but there is more to this season than the culminating game. While the championship reigns supreme in history, there are a plethora of narratives present throughout the league. Among them, Nikola Jokic stands as the most dominant force on the court for the grand finale.
Nuggets control the court
Looking at his 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in Game 1, it is clear that Nikola Jokic is the most talented player in the NBA. Despite this, the Nuggets opted to alter their approach early in the game. By constantly feeding Aaron Gordon, who took control of the game and tactfully maneuvered the drive, the team was able to reduce turnovers and dominate over Miami.
Unexpectedly, the Nuggets cleared a specific team to introduce Caleb Martin. Gordon watched. Miami was under Gordon's jurisdiction and the team was struggling with turnovers during the game. In a unique turn of events, Caleb Martin was allowed by the Nuggets to participate in the game against Miami. Noticing Caleb, Gordon set his sights on him.
Miami only scored two free throws, which is the lowest number ever attempted in history. However, their shooting numbers were minimal, with the second lowest by five feet compared to their regular season performance. It is reasonable to assume that the turnover number may increase in the upcoming games.
The Nuggets do not have a particularly intimidating lineup that aggressively attacks the rim. During the game, the team altered the color of its goaltending to avoid clogging during practice shots. Fire head coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged this adjustment after the game.
Porter excels on defense
During the first game of the finals, Michael Porter Jr.'s development was evident. Although he scored only 14 points on 16 attempts and struggled with making 3-pointers, missing 9 of 11, he managed to grab 13 rebounds and blocked two shots. Porter also contributed to the ball movement in the game by providing some impressive assists.
When Porter joined the NBA, he lacked experience in running, hitting and rebounding, which made him feel insecure and unsure. However, the one accurate statement is that he struggled with scoring. Despite missing his shot in Game 1, Porter's presence still had the potential to impact the game through other means.
#Resilience 🏀 The @Denver @nuggets took a 1-0 lead in the @NBA Finals last night with a 104-93 win over @MiamiHEAT.
Game 2 of the series will be played on Sunday, always at Denver's home, the Ball Arena.
The most outstanding player of the game was the Serbian center of... pic.twitter.com/1VLC04qiCh
- Resistencia (@Resistencia1821) June 2, 2023
The Heat must do better
Once again, the Heat required Butler's help. During Game 1, approximately 30 pick-and-rolls had involved him, but the Heat only scored nine points as a result. Whenever the Nuggets faced defeat, Butler frequently supplied Bam Adebayo with a short shot instead of going for the basket himself. However, when Denver made alterations, the Heat found it difficult to generate space for themselves.
Miami's performance on the court can be summed up in one play in the first quarter. Essentially, Butler took it upon himself to score on Caldwell-Pope, who was relatively smaller in size. When Butler pulled away, he surprisingly drew the attention of all five members of the Nuggets team.
While it would have been better for Butler to avoid his opponents, he chose to take them on and was successful in one corner. Despite his win, Strus was unable to make an easy 3-point shot.
As the series progresses, Miami will have to figure out how to stop Jokic and keep Porter on the outside. If they don't, they will find themselves in a hole quickly.
