NBA Finals
Martin Mendoza
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SUMMARY
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The Nuggets close out the NBA Finals agains the Heat to bag their first-ever championship
The Denver Nuggets captured their first NBA championship after slipping past the Miami Heat, 94-89, in a thrilling Game 5 finish on Monday, June 12 (Tuesday, June 13, Manila time).
Nikola Jokic bagged the Finals MVP after averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in the series.
Must Read
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | STARTING LINEUPS:
Nuggets:
F – Porter
F – Gordon
C – Jokic
G – Caldwell-Pope
G – Murray—
Heat:
F – Butler
F – Love
C – Adebayo
G – Strus
G – Vincent #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Bam steal and slam to open the game 🔒
Game 5 underway on ABC as Miami looks to keep their championship hopes alive! pic.twitter.com/WhvVez81Fw
TOUGH bucket AG 💪 pic.twitter.com/PXoIRdBYrQ
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023HUGE dunk by Jamal Murray 🔨🔨
Denver is on a 12-0 run midway through Q1 on ABC as they seek an NBA Championship with a win tonight!#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/VZ44sR6Hcw
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 1Q:
Strus stops the bleeding with a three-point play, but Jokic quickly answers with a long bomb!
15-8, Nuggets.#NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023BAM AND-1 FOR THE LEAD 💪
Get to ABC for Q1 of Game 5 as Miami fights to extend the series!#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/HBar23oRIO
End of 1. #BringItIn pic.twitter.com/cZjMx2N4Qh
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Braun fakes and scores!
He cuts the lead to 3 early in Q2, Game 5 LIVE on ABC.#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/KqX584IJTl
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 2Q:
Robinson hits a corner trey!
Adebayo feeds the cutting Robinson for the easy finish.
Timeout Nuggets. 39-29, Heat. #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Duncan Robinson extends the lead to 10!
A 31-13 Miami run in Game 5, Q2 on ABC. pic.twitter.com/2pNCI3Dnva
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023Add another highlight to the Bam – Duncan tapes
We lead 39-31 with 6:33 left in the half. Tune in on ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/nfdV6Hg5DO
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 2Q:
Brown steals and scores off a two-handed slam in transition! 6-0 run by the Nuggets.
Timeout Heat with 5:37 left in the first half. 39-35, Heat. #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Jamal Murray post turnaround 🥶
Denver seeks the franchise's 1st championship with a win in Game 5… late Q2 on ABC 🍿 pic.twitter.com/UkEhV38deX
Knock it down, Kyle 👌 pic.twitter.com/JqH7CUWIJS
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | HALFTIME:
The Miami Heat keep their distance from the Denver Nuggets with a 51-44 lead after two quarters!#NBAFinals
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | STATS AT THE HALF:
Heat:
Adebayo – 18 pts, 8/13 FG, 9 rebs
Butler – 8 pts, 2 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls
Strus – 8 pts, 6 rebs
—
Nuggets:
Jokic – 9 pts, 9 rebs, 4 asts
Porter – 9 pts, 8 rebs#NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Jokic and-1 to open the 2nd half 💪
Denver seeks its first championship in franchise history… Q3 live on ABC 🍿#NBAFinals presented by @YouTubeTV pic.twitter.com/AH8U4N2sJT
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 3Q:
Vincent stops and pops for a mid-range hit! Porter floats it in.
Murray takes it strong inside for a two, but Love counters with a long bomb!
Jokic and Vincent trade twos. 60-53, Heat. #NBAFinals
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023Max gets us started in the 2nd half & he's now in double figures
Tune in on ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/WEi5qt4QHm
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023MURRAY THREE TO TIE ‼
Jamal Murray with a HUGE three to cap a 13-5 run in Q3 on ABC!
Denver would win its first championship in franchise history with a victory tonight. pic.twitter.com/KwHLPUTj4Z
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 3Q:
Strus lays it in!
Lowry dishes it to the cutting Martin for the fastbreak finish after a wild sequence!
Timeout Nuggets. 64-60, Heat. #NBAFinals
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023Mike double-double.
11 PTS
11 REB pic.twitter.com/rvJyu1CZnH
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023Forcing turnovers & cashing in transition buckets 💰
We're up 4 with 3:58 left in Q3 pic.twitter.com/KgVISdxuoK
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 3Q:
Porter pulls up from downtown! First lead of the Nuggets since the first quarter.
Adebayo swishes a long two. 69-68, Nuggets. #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Kyle Lowry from DEEP for the lead 🎯
It's a back-and-forth Game 5 on ABC as Miami leads by 1 to start the 4th quarter! pic.twitter.com/AscoYNbDMK
Kyle from deep for his 3rd triple of the night 🙌 pic.twitter.com/AJ0CNcoAl6
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | END OF 3Q:
Denver outscores Miami, 26-20, in the third quarter, but the Heat hang on to a slim 71-70 lead over the Nuggets! #NBAFinals
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 4Q:
Jokic converts inside! Murray walks into a three-pointer!
Early timeout by the Heat. 75-71, Nuggets. #NBAFinals
Jamal from deep to open up the fourth 🏹 pic.twitter.com/wHCZh9A8go
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023"BLOCKED BY GORDON."
Jamal Murray scores on the other end to give Denver a 5-point lead!
⏰ 6:42 to go in Game 5 on ABC | DEN leads 3-1 pic.twitter.com/cD6na0ijLq
Not in AG's house 🚫 pic.twitter.com/MuxJ6BgIJs
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023Back-to-back 3s from Jimmy 👌👌
We trail 86-82 with 3:21 left. Catch the finish on ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/VxKC9yScjY
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 13, 2023Jimmy's got our last 13 points and we lead 89-88 with 1:56 left.
Tune in on ABC 📺 pic.twitter.com/iKwQmQt0w3
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | 4Q:
Caldwell-Pope with a crucial steal on Butler!
He knocks down two free throws to extend the Nuggets’ lead to three, 92-89.
Timeout Heat with 24.7 seconds remaining. #NBAFinals
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023THE STAGE IS SET 🍿
KCP's steal and free throws give Denver a 3-point lead with 24.7 seconds to go in Game 5 on ABC! pic.twitter.com/Ty6ycMYPjj
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023FIRST TITLE IN FRANCHISE HISTORY! 🏆
BREAKING NEWS. The Denver Nuggets are your 2023 NBA champions after dispatching the Miami Heat in a thrilling Game 5 finish! #NBAFinals HIGHLIGHTS: https://t.co/KGr00M5KU9 pic.twitter.com/WAFpsU61Zz
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023The Denver Nuggets are NBA Champions for the 1st time in the franchise's history 👏
🏆 GAME 5 FINAL SCORE 🏆
DEN: 94
MIA: 89 pic.twitter.com/TDGO42ctwt
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023NBA | STATS:
Nuggets:
Jokic – 28 pts, 12/16 FG, 16 rebs, 4 asts
Porter – 16 pts, 13 rebs
Murray – 14 pts, 8 rebs, 8 asts
Caldwell-Pope – 11 pts, 4 rebs, 2 asts, 2 stls, 3 blks
—
Heat:
Butler – 21 pts, 3 rebs, 5 asts, 3 stls
Adebayo – 20 pts, 12 rebs#NBAFinals
JUST IN. Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic now gets his first career Finals MVP after leading the Denver Nuggets to their first championship in their 47-year franchise history! #NBAFinals HIGHLIGHTS: https://t.co/KGr00M5KU9 pic.twitter.com/pIS6mRQWwz
— Rappler Sports (@RapplerSports) June 13, 2023
Nikola Jokic is presented with the Bill Russell Trophy as the 2022-23 #NBAFinals MVP 👏 pic.twitter.com/enfQxUJzZx
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Jamal Murray addresses the Denver crowd after winning the 2023 NBA Championship 🔊 pic.twitter.com/5AuFMiPoU9
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023"This is a great group of people."
Nikola Jokic speaks on the selflessness of the Nuggets along their journey to the NBA Championship! pic.twitter.com/jZkxDnPBVS
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023Jamal Murray, NBA Champion 🏆
Showered with applause by the home crowd as the Nuggets bring a championship to Denver for the first time. pic.twitter.com/lPp73bxBSf
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023"The job is done, we can go home now." 😅
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets complete the mission of bringing the 2022-23 NBA Championship to Denver! pic.twitter.com/Af9nOROEfz
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
Preview
MANILA, Philippines – End or extend?
As the 2023 NBA Finals heads back to the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado for Game 5 on Monday, June 12 (Tuesday, June 13, Manila time), the Denver Nuggets are in prime position to dispatch the Miami Heat and bag their first-ever NBA title.
The Nuggets are coming off a resounding 108-95 win over the Heat in Game 4, thanks to the efforts of unlikely heroes Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown.
With their superstar center Nikola Jokic in foul trouble and high-scoring guard Jamal Murray struggling from the field, Gordon took on the scoring cudgels for the Nuggets and sizzled for a team-best 27 points, including a surprising 3-of-4 clip from beyond the arc.
Brown, meanwhile, delivered when it counted the most and poured in 11 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to help Denver fend off Miami’s comeback attempts and take a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Miami, on the other hand, leaned on its superstar forward Jimmy Butler and All-Star big man Bam Adebayo anew as starters Gabe Vincent and Max Strus failed to make their presence felt for the second straight outing.
With their backs now against the wall, watch out for Butler, who has yet to deliver a statement game in this series, to go all-out and take care of business for the Heat as they seek to avoid elimination and return to Miami for Game 6.
In order to stay alive, the Heat should brace for huge scoring performances from Jokic and Murray – who combined for only 38 points on 13-of-36 shooting in Game 4 after both recording 30-point triple-doubles in Game 3.
Will the Nuggets close out the series or will the Heat live to fight another day?
Game time is 8:30 am.
– Rappler.com
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