With extensive championship experience, the Miami Heat are heavily favored over the Denver Nuggets.
Thus, the leadership of each of Jimmy Butler (for the newly-crowned Eastern Conference victors) and Nikola Jokic (for the Western Conference titlists) will be tested to the hilt.
Butler has proven his mettle, scoring 28 markers to keep his promise to win Game 7 for Miami, and oh in a blow out fashion even, 103-84 in enemy territory.
Denver is a hungry team and is going into championship battle for the first time in decades (is it 47 years?)
This is the principal motivation for coach Michael Malone and his boys who brilliantly dispatched Lebron James and his Hollywood-based gang via a four game sweep in the Western Conference finals.
(After the embarassing four-game loss, LJ is reportedly thinking of retirement?).
If this Denver feat does not scare Eric Spoelstra, it might be because he has the very reliable Aden Adebayo.to tangle Jokic in the middle, this aside from the prolific Butler who will be matched against Jamal Murray in the production chore.
Until we get to watch Game 1 though can we be able to size up each team’s weaknesses versus their strengths.
We have to observe how the team’s first five perform against their counterparts.
If you ask me, I praise the Nuggets for a very outstanding performance with Jokic pouring in with regularity a double double against the Lakers.
Murray is the man to watch. He explodes like a dynamite and takes charge especially when the Nuggets are trying to catch up.
I did not quite see this with the Heat who succumed to consecutive losses in Games 4, 5 & 6 when they could have done the finishing touches at home.
Spoelstra and his boys are seeking a fourth NBA crown since 2013 and the first since losing to the Lakers in 2020.
Ergo, Miami has a name to preserve and an integrity to protect.
On defense, Adebayo will have his hands full guarding Jokic and a double team by Miami when the latter gets inside the paint is necessary.
Conversely, on offense the Miami center is a bruiser and much shiftier than Jokic.
I love the defense the Heat displayed against the Celtics.
Tatum was limited to 14 points (although he hurt his ankle early in the game) and Jaylen Brown committed several turnovers to allow the Heat to maintain a two-digit bubble in the fourth.
Jokic should be the Big difference.
Or the Heat will torch the Nuggets alive. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com). GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
.
