For the first time in their 47 year history, the Denver Nuggets are NBA champions! The Nuggets defeat the Miami Heat in a gentlemen's sweep in five games.
This Nuggets team was very good and was headed by a player that many have claimed to be already one of the greatest to play the game in Nikola Jokic. Jokic averaged video game numbers and had the best points-rebounds-assists average combined out of any player to ever participate in the NBA playoffs.
I believe the real motivation behind Jokic's success in these playoffs was when he was not awarded the MVP for this season, and instead Joel Embiid was given the award. He took it about as personally as you can get. In many eyes, including mine, he should've been the back to back to back MVP of the league.
There are few players throughout the game that other teams just cannot find an answer for and Jokic is definitely one of them. You know he's great when the older generation is comparing him to Wilt, the middle generation is comparing him to Jordan, and the younger generation is comparing him to Lebron. Nikola Jokic is special and deserves to be spoken about with the greats.
Like all great teams, you need a good supporting cast and the Nuggets had a great one. The supporting cast was headlined by the second half of the dynamic duo of the Nuggets in Jamal Murray. No doubt Jokic had one of the best postseasons of all time, but don't take any of the accomplishments away from his teammate Jamal Murray.
Murray was clutch in all areas, getting a basket whenever needed, a great playmaker, and solid defender. The only reason why Jamal Murray isn't getting more credit for how successful the Nuggets were this postseason is that his teammate is Nikola Jokic. The two of them were the reason why the Nuggets only lost four times in the past two months.
Aside from the dynamic duo, the role players of the Nuggets also played a very key role. The most impactful players aside from Murray and Jokic in this series were Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown. Gordon has asserted his role with the Nuggets for the next couple of years with the contract that he is currently on, but Bruce Brown on the other hand earned himself a hug bag this upcoming offseason.
His contributions fueled the Nuggets late in the last couple of games and Gordon's defense on Jimmy Butler and the other Heat shooters was impeccable. The Nuggets played with a short rotation only getting consistent minutes from about 7-8 guys, but each and everyone left their distinct impact on the floor throughout the series giving the Nuggets their first ever championship.
The city of Denver is thriving and because of its sports, it is emerging as a new, major city and destination in America. The Avalanche headed by their superstar Nathan McKinnon took home the Stanley Cup just a year ago and now Nikola Jokic has brought home the Larry O'Brien trophy to this wonderful, up and coming city.
Although the 2022-2023 season just ended, the Nuggets are already the favorites to take home the title in the 2023-2024 season. It's very difficult to repeat as #1 in back to back years, but the Nuggets showed they definitely have what it takes. I'm excited to see how they adapt to the rest of the league's changes this upcoming season. It's bittersweet to see another great season to go down in the history books, but there were definitely many great moments to reflect upon going into the future.
The offseason is right around the corner and in just over a week the NBA draft will commence. Teams will be altered drastically and the league will be with the addition of many young stars such as Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson. It is a very exciting time for the NBA even though there's no games going on.
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