Why do the Nuggets have home court advantage over the Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals?
The Nuggets come into their first ever NBA Finals in top form, prime condition and moreover with home court advantage, but the question is why is that?
If there is one thing guaranteed about the upcoming NBA Finals between the Denver Nuggets and the Miami Heat, it’s that we’re going to have an intense series. The Nuggets have shown they can up the level, while the Heat have proven themselves to be a team that never goes away.
The NBA Finals we hoped for
The last time the Miami Heat were in the NBA Finals was back in 2020, when they had to watch their former star and the man who led them to a title in 2013, LeBron James, spearhead a championship run for their opponents, the Los Angeles Lakers. This time around, the Heat come into the finals having gone to the wire against the Boston Celtics. Indeed, the Heat were up 3-0 in the series with many expecting an unprecedented sweep of the guys in green. Yet, somehow Boston managed to dig deep and go on a three-game winning streak to force Game 7 at home. Impressively, the Heat managed to hold their resolve as they closed out the series on the road.
This of course brings us to their opponents, the Denver Nuggets. As things stand, the Nuggets will likely be considered the favorites in this one. Aside from the obvious, which is Nikola Jokic’s stellar run this season, the Nuggets are a team that is solid in every department. From the timely contributions of Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, to the sharp shooting of Jamal Murray, this is a team that’s not just good, but also very difficult to beat. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers, who despite possessing their own stars in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, were swept 4-0. With that, the Nuggets earned themselves a significant amount of rest, something that will almost certainly influence the Finals.
Why do the Nuggets have home court advantage?
As we mentioned before, The Nuggets did not experience the kind of drama which the Heat had to deal with. Having dispatched the Lakers so quickly, they done with the Conference Finals on May 22nd. What means is that they’ve had more than a week to rest, recuperate and plan. There’s also the all-important home court advantage which they secured for themselves by virtue of winning nine more regular season games than the Heat. While it doesn’t guarantee victory, it certainly tips the scales slightly more in their favor. Whether they can take advantage of that remains to be seen, but we know we’re going to enjoy finding out.