Following the first three games of the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Finals, two teams are both up 3-0. That is the Miami Heat in the East and the Denver Nuggets in the West. It seems inevitable at this point that these teams will now face off in the NBA Finals. Let’s look at how these teams would matchup.
Defense
Both of these teams play defense when it matters. Neither team has elite shot blocking but they do both have quality wing defenders. The Miami Heat have Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, and Caleb Martin while the Nuggets have KCP, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon. All of these players are some of the top defenders in the league.
Offense
Nikola Jokic is possibly the best all around offensive player in the NBA as he can shoot, score, and distribute all at an extremely high level. Match that with an elite scorer in Jamal Murray and quality shot makers around them and you have one of the best offenses in the league.
The Miami Heat have playoff Jimmy Butler who is on another level paired with Bam Adebayo, an athletic big that would be a tough matchup for Jokic. Like the Nuggets, this team is surrounded by shooters which makes it harder to guard their stars one-on-one as both teams can stretch and space the floor.
Overall
Overall the Nuggets have more talent on offense but the Heat likely have more defensive talent and grittiness that gets playoff wins. This matchup would be epic and could solidify Jokic as one of the best players ever. It would also get people talking about Jimmy Butler as one of the best players in the league finally.
Photo Credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nikola_Jokic_free_throw.jpg
