[Headsterx]

Denver Nuggets winning tomorrow game -9
Denver Nuggets winning the series -430
Denver Nuggets sweeping +550

Nuggets all day and everyday!

Why? Because... "There's gold up in them thar hills!!!"

[Headsterx]

The Athletic:

An all-underdog Finals

This is the rare matchup of the #8 seed versus the #1. We’ve waited for the Nuggets to validate their self-belief. Others have waited for Miami to just go away. Both find themselves in the Finals. This marks Erik Spoelstra’s sixth appearance, tied for fourth-most all time. The Nuggets aim to snap the NBA’s fourth-longest title drought (47 seasons). Denver’s biggest question: Are the Nuggets tough enough? Denver has been questioned all season despite its historic offense and more-than-solid defense. Nuggets have the best player, but the Heat tend to muck things up with physicality. Denver avoiding Miami’s ugly stretches will show mental toughness befitting of a champion. Miami’s biggest question: Nikola Jokić, what the hell? Even with Bam Adebyo, the Heat lack the size and depth to handle him, unless you value Cody Zeller, Kevin Love and potential Ömer Yurtseven minutes. Miami must design creative ball denial or diversify its defensive coverage to confuse a genius. The alternative is Adebayo allowing 45-plus points from Jokić without getting into foul trouble and countering with his own aggressive, timely scoring. Denver’s biggest matchup: Aaron Gordon on Jimmy Butler. While I expect to see Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on Butler, Denver will also utilize Gordon’s size. Butler thrives on bullying defenders. If he can’t do that to Gordon, the Heat will be in trouble. Miami’s biggest matchup: Caleb Martin on Jamal Murray. Gabe Vincent is very capable of pestering good lead guards but doesn’t have the size to bother Murray’s jumper. Right now, Murray is too good at finding open spaces. I think Martin’s expert screen navigation, size and length can limit Denver’s No. 2 option. Betting odds (via BetMGM) Champion: Nuggets -400, Heat +310 Finals MVP: Jokić -350, Butler +350, Murray +1200, Martin +3000 Prediction: Heat in 6

[stevenash]

Michelle Pfeffer that white gold.

[stevenash]

Chris Baker: People have been making the case for the Heat catching +8.5 given that the Nuggets are coming off of 10 days of rest, but I think the far stronger case lies with the Nuggets laying single digits. Despite what the Heat’s team leaders say, there has to be a collective deep breath of relief to just be in the finals after surviving that series against the Celtics.

Additionally, Jimmy Butler tweaked his ankle during that Celtics Game 7 and he certainly didn’t look like himself throughout much of that game. If Butler isn’t 100%, this Heat offense is in trouble, as I don’t believe they can defeat the Nuggets with Caleb Martin being their lead offensive engine.

Nuggets in Game 1 has been a slam-dunk spot all postseason long, as it takes defenses time to adjust to the uniqueness of their offense. I can’t think of a greater leap in difficulty than going from defending Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to having to figure out how to defend Nikola Jokic with just one big in your lineup.

The Celtics never post up and never played through their center, which is much of what the Nuggets do when Jokic is in the game. The Heat just spent the last seven games seamlessly switching every screen, as the Celtics had no ball handlers or bigs who could truly punish switches. They are the polar opposite of the Nuggets, who have Michael Porter Jr. (6-foot-10), Aaron Gordon (6-foot-8) and Nikola Jokic (6-foot-11). All of these guys have the strength or talent to get their shot over smaller defenders.

Porter should have an outstanding series against the Heat, who don’t use many players in their main rotation taller than 6-foot-7 besides Adebayo, who should be busy defending Jokic. Expect MPJ to get plenty of shots off, as no one on this Heat team will be able to contest his high-release jump shot. Miami is also forcing opponents to take 40.6% of their shots from deep, another schematic factor benefiting Porter.

Ultimately, this is a historic and unique Nuggets offense. It is a nightmare to prepare for in any situation, let alone off of a seven-game series traveling into altitude with multiple guys banged up or injured. Take the Nuggets -8.5 and play this up to -9.5.

[JIBBBY]

Gonna be hard to bet against the Nuggets at home, that's all I know!

[RunBookRun]

Ennio Morricone is the best composer all time for dramatic scores. if born centuries ago, would be Classical Music master. you posted a rock version.. but I feel the original is better.

[pavyracer]

Sweeping is +5000? or +500?

[RunBookRun]

Sweeping is +5000? or +500?

where is this available.? looking for it.. can't find

[johnnyvegas13]

+5000 is the odds of heatsweepp

[bjb7223]

Sweeping is +5000? or +500?

FanDuel has the Nuggets sweep at +450

[stevenash]

+5000 is the odds of heatsweepp

Are you 'on it' Johnny?

Are you Southside' Johnny, Johnny?

[pavyracer]

FanDuel has the Nuggets sweep at +450

It makes sense. The odds for the sweep should be the same as a 4 team parlay on Nuggets ML for each game.

[Headsterx]

Sweeping is +5000? or +500?

Yikes! I wagered the wrong team. Yeah it was Heat @ +5000. I couldn't cancel it as the odds went down to +4000.

Nuggets @ +550

[JIBBBY]

Could sweep... Nuggets are a problem this year for sure. Could be a problem for a few years to come! Solid team!

[Headsterx]

Hell yeah! One down and three to go!

[Headsterx]

How the Heat will hit back

Denver dominates in Game 1

The final score of 104-93 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals won’t tell the story of how easy this victory was for Denver. After three quarters, Nikola Jokić had scored or assisted on 69 of the Nuggets’ 84 points. The Heat had 63 points total. The Heat were doubling Jokić to get the ball out of his hands, almost as if they’d never done a scouting session on the way he plays. Miami had a strong fourth quarter, playing some zone to disrupt things (or maybe Denver just knew it could coast to a victory), and made this look more competitive. But Jokić finished with 27 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds for yet another triple-double, making him the second player ever to post a triple-double in their NBA Finals debut (Jason Kidd in 2002 was the first). Jimmy Butler simply didn’t have it with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting, but he did have seven assists and seven rebounds. Bam Adebayo led the way for the Heat with 26 points on 13-of-25 shooting, and Max Strus went 0-of-10 with nine of those misses from 3-point range. Here are my main takeaways from Game 1 with a little point/counterpoint: Point: Miami generated great looks in the first half and shot 23.5 percent from deep (33.3 percent for the game). Strus should have made at least three or four of those misses. That’s a closer game when he does. Counterpoint: Denver was even worse from 3 (29.6 percent), and Michael Porter Jr. (a much better shooter than Strus) was 2-of-11. Point: Aaron Gordon had 12 of his 16 points in the first quarter and feasted against small defenders all game. The Heat can’t check him when he’s on the move. Counterpoint: If Gordon scoring big every game (especially on the road) is the way Miami loses the NBA Finals, then you live with that. Sell out to stop Jokić (although that didn’t happen in Game 1). Point: Adebayo needs to be aggressive on offense, and he was the leading scorer. He took everything the Nuggets gave him. Counterpoint: Denver will also live with Adebayo being “the reason it loses” the NBA Finals. While he took everything the Nuggets gave him, he rarely put pressure on the rim nor did he draw contact to generate fouls. Point: Butler was not the guy we saw in the previous rounds, and the combination of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Gordon was too much for him defensively. Counterpoint: We’ve seen Butler adjust to defenses, including his efforts in Games 6 and 7 against Boston. He’ll get his legs under him and get to the free-throw line. Miami only shot two free throws in Game 1. Counter-counterpoint: It’s hard to draw free throws when you don’t find contact around the rim. Miami played without physicality.

[Headsterx]

G2 Nuggets -8.5

More Nuggets tonight!

[Headsterx]

The answer: HELL NO!!!

Can Miami extend Finals?

Miami seemed to figure out its problems against Denver en route to a Game 2 win. The Heat tied the Finals, stole home-court advantage, generated/made good shots and used their junk zone against the Nuggets at inopportune times. Miami headed back home and showed great fight in Game 3’s first half. It hasn’t mattered what Miami does on defense in an attempt to slow down Denver’s historic attack. Denver has also flipped a switch defensively. The Nuggets closed out Games 3-4 with incredible championship-level defense. That stretch leaves them 48 minutes from the first ever NBA championship. That also illustrates the grave situation Miami finds itself currently in. We’ve seen 36 teams in NBA Finals history trail 3-1. Only one pulled off the improbable: the 2016 Cavaliers, which did feature Kevin Love. Unfortunately, Miami’s capabilities don’t seem to match those LeBron-led Cavs and their nearly 107 points per game in completing that comeback. In their three wins this series, the Nuggets have locked down the Heat’s offense so well, allowing only 94.0 points per game on 41.7 percent shooting. In Game 4, despite holding Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray to bad shooting nights, the Heat were burned by Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown while scoring under 100 points in consecutive games for the first time in two months. Forget winning the series – here’s what Miami must do to simply stave off elimination and extend its season with another home game in Miami: Attack the basket: There was a play in Game 4’s first minute where Bam Adebayo took the ball in transition, went right at a backpedaling Jokić and scored at the rim. That didn’t happen again until a meaningless bucket in the fourth. Adebayo and Jimmy Butler must play strong and athletic at the rim all game. Make 3s: The Heat averaged 30 open 3-point shots in Games 1 and 2. They were hot in Game 2 after opening the Finals with a cold Game 1. Their total such attempts fell to 25 in Game 3 before declining to 19 in Game 4. The Heat must create and cash in good looks. Pray against Denver’s 3s: Denver was the league’s fourth-best 3-point shooting team in the regular season. In Games 1-3, the Nuggets shot just 32.8 percent from deep before posting a 50 percent clip on 28 attempts in Game 4. Miami must pray the Nuggets’ 3-point tidal wave doesn’t resurface in Denver.

[stevenash]

^
Ride 'em vaquero.

Hook 'em up with VGK in a two team parlay and let's move on to NFL betting.

Best 'o luck Header.

[Headsterx]

^
Ride 'em vaquero.

Hook 'em up with VGK in a two team parlay and let's move on to NFL betting.

Best 'o luck Header.

Can’t wait for NFL. Let’s end these series tonight and tomorrow. I got summer plans coming.