NBA Finals: Butler vs Jokic
Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokic, two of the best players in the NBA, will duke it out in Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets.
Game 1 of the NBA Finals begins tonight with the Denver Nuggets hosting the Miami Heat. Two of the best players in the league will compete for the championship - Nikola Jokic and Jimmy Butler.
Jokic is a two-time MVP winner, but the Nuggets have not made it to a championship since the 1975-76 season and they’re hoping to change that this year. But first, they’ll have to get past Butler, who has a history of defying the odds. At 13 years old, Butler was homeless. (See more about his story here.) After defying the odds and making it as a star in the NBA, Butler has now helped the Heat defy the odds too.
Miami’s journey to the Finals was not an easy one. They first had to beat the Chicago Bulls in the Play-in Tournament just to be in the playoffs, then they eliminated the No. 1 team the Milwaukee Bucks, then took seven games to beat the No. 2 Boston Celtics. Butler is known for his clutch moments in the playoffs. He went from averaging 22.9 points per game, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists in the regular season to averaging 28.5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in the playoffs.
On the other hand, Jokic has been consistently at that level and has improved in the postseason as well. His regular season stats saw an average of 24.5 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists while he is now averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists in the playoffs.
Follow along with our very own Dane Arlauckas’ live text coverage of the game right here at AS USA.