{"id":75791,"date":"2023-06-13T14:52:55","date_gmt":"2023-06-13T14:52:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/06\/13\/denver-nuggets-beat-miami-heat-to-claim-first-nba-title\/"},"modified":"2023-06-13T14:52:55","modified_gmt":"2023-06-13T14:52:55","slug":"denver-nuggets-beat-miami-heat-to-claim-first-nba-title","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2023\/06\/13\/denver-nuggets-beat-miami-heat-to-claim-first-nba-title\/","title":{"rendered":"Denver Nuggets beat Miami Heat to claim first NBA title"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"
Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; The Denver Nuggets celebrate after center Nikola Jokic (15) was awarded the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award after winning the 2023 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The Denver Nuggets clinched their first NBA title as a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat sealed a 4-1 series triumph.<\/p>\n

Nikola Jokic led his side to victory with 28 points to end the Nuggets 47-year wait for the championship trophy.<\/p>\n

Serb Jokic, 28, was named the Finals\u2019 most valuable player to add to the two overall MVPs he won in 2021 and 2022.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not in it for ourselves, we\u2019re in it for the guy next to us and that\u2019s why this [means] even more,\u201d Jokic said following victory at Ball Arena.<\/p>\n

Jokic also contributed 16 rebounds, while Michael Porter Jr added 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Nuggets ground out the decisive victory in game five.<\/p>\n

The Nuggets never lost more than twice in any of their play-off series, ending their march towards a historic success with 10 victories in their last 11 post-season games.<\/p>\n

\"Nikola<\/figure>\n

Denver Nuggets dominated Miami Heat in the best-of-seven championship series<\/em><\/p>\n

Denver trailed 71-70 at the start of the fourth quarter, and 89-88 with just under two minutes remaining, but the hosts would not be denied after they hit the front with a Bruce Brown lay-up.<\/p>\n

For Miami, Jimmy Butler scored 21 points and Bam Adebayo 20 but they were unable to keep their hopes of an unlikely comeback alive.<\/p>\n

Only one of the 36 teams to have previously fallen 3-1 behind in an NBA Finals \u2013 the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016 \u2013 had managed to come back to win the championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was an amazing effort by the team,\u201d Jokic said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat is why basketball is a fun sport, it is a live thing, you cannot say this going to happen, there are so many factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just happy we won the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nuggets coach Michael Malone told the home supporters: \u201cI\u2019ve got news for everyone out there. We are not satisfied with one.\u201d<\/p>\n

It is the fourth major North American sports title in the past two years for owner Stan Kroenke \u2013 who also owns Premier League club Arsenal \u2013 alongside NFL Super Bowl success for the Los Angeles Rams, Colorado Avalanche\u2019s NHL Stanley Cup win and Colorado Mammoth\u2019s National Lacrosse League Cup victory.<\/p>\n

\"Denver<\/figure>\n

Denver Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke lifted the Larry O\u2019Brien Championship Trophy<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Denver<\/figure>\n
\"Nikola<\/figure>\n

Nikola Jokic became the first player to lead the NBA play-offs for total points, rebounds, and assists<\/em><\/p>\n

\"Denver<\/figure>\n

<\/p>\n