By Daniel Paiz
Denver Nuggets summit 16 wins to earn First NBA Championship in franchise history after 47 years in the NBA. In a true test of wills, the Denver Nuggets outlasted the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, winning the series 4 games to 1. Nikola Jokic notched a double-double with 28 points and 16 rebounds, and Michael Porter Jr. with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jamal Murray added 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Bruce Brown chipped in 10 points off the bench.
In a losing effort, Bam Adebayo was sensational with his own double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, and Jimmy Butler scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. Miami was the second eight seed in NBA history to make the NBA Finals. Just like the 1999 New York Knicks, Miami fell short of their goal on this Monday night, June 12th, 2023 (coincidentally, the same date Michael Jordan won his first-ever title in 1991 in Game 5).
Game 5 Recap
5-0 lead at the 10:32 mark for Miami, Denver has had a couple of careless turnovers. Both teams seem to be feeling the weight of the moment. At the 6:58 mark it’s 6-5 Denver, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope having scored four of those points. It really feels like both teams are tensed up right now. Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Jeff Green all get a bucket for a 12-5 lead and a Miami timeout just a minute later. Nuggets seem to have composed themselves, while Miami forgot how to score. A Jokic three and MPJ free throws make it 16-8. Adebayo has eight points as it’s now 21-18 Miami with just over two minutes left. A DeAndre Jordan block leads to an eventual MPJ putback to make it 22-20. MPJ has seven points as Denver trails 24-22; Jokic, Gordon, and Green all have two fouls at the start of the second quarter.
28-22 to start the second as Miami slowly keeps scoring two minutes into the second. The whistles in this game are honestly late; one would think the second half will have fewer calls, as right now small things are getting called. 37-29 Miami four minutes in. After a few more foul calls on Denver for good measure, the Nuggets have managed to claw back in and make it 39-35 Miami halfway into the second. 47-41 as this pace is very much that of the road team; Adebayo still leads Miami as few other Heat players are scoring. MPJ with a huge slam to cut the lead to 51-44, and at halftime the home team trails. All of the foul trouble, shots just aren’t falling, and the Nuggets are down only seven? Second half will show fans what adjustments are made.
Jokic and one score makes it 51-47 to start the third. Denver is 1-of-17 from 3-point range and yet they are still in this game. At the 7:02 mark, Denver has rallied to make it 60-57, as Jokic has 17 points. Murray hits a three and we’re tied at 60. Miami gets a few buckets to make it 64-60 at the 3:58 mark and Denver takes a timeout. Nuggets are getting defensive stops but then not moving the ball enough to score. Denver gets some buckets to make it 64-64.
This game is a slugfest with shots not really falling. MPJ hits a three to make it 69-66 Denver with a minute left. Miami leads at the end of three, 71-70. The pace for three quarters has been Miami’s type of basketball, and the Nuggets have to move the ball and change how this last quarter plays out.
Jamal Murray gets the assist to Jokic, then hits a three next play to make it 75-70 to start the fourth. At the 8:44 mark it’s 79-76 Denver as the home team finds their pace. Aaron Gordon just sent Kyle Lowry back in time with that block just under seven minutes to go, and Murray scores to make it 81-76 at the 6:42 mark. The moment is making itself felt for both teams right now, as both sides are sloppy with the ball. Same score at the five-minute mark. KCP hits a three, Butler finally hits some buckets to make it 86-82 Denver with 3:21 to go.
Jokic makes it 88-87 with 2:20 to go in the fourth. 90-89 Bruce Brown putback with 1:31 to go. Butler has been scoring all fourth but turns it over and Denver takes a timeout with 24.7 left. KCP hits two free throws to make it 92-89 with no time having gone off the clock. Butler misses a three that Gordon contests, Bruce Brown collects the rebound and goes to the line with 14.3 to go.
Hits the first. Gets the friendly bounce on the second to make it 94-89. Lowry inbounds to Strus, back to Lowry, shoots the three and MISSES! Caldwell-Pope gets the rebound, dribbles it to half court as Miami doesn’t foul, and the clock hits four zeroes. The Denver Nuggets win 94-89, winning the series 4-1. The Denver Nuggets, in their first NBA Finals appearance in their 47-year history, are NBA CHAMPIONS!
And now, your moment of Zen…
Nikola Jokic was briefly interviewed on the court after Game 5 ended, and here’s the most Nikola Jokic response you could get, even in such a huge moment:
Reporter: “How does it feel to be an NBA Champion?”
Jokic: “It’s good, it’s good. The job is done, we can go home now.”
Also below is the moment it became real that Denver had won, and the journey that Jamal Murray has been on since his knee injury a couple of years ago to now just came flooding out of him:
I said it while attending Game 1 of the NBA Finals, and I’ll say it again now: the weight of 47 years in the NBA without a championship was palpable tonight. Denver has been buzzing all playoffs and tonight was that last step to the summit. In Colorado, mountains that reach 14,000 feet in elevation are called 14ers. Tonight, the Denver Nuggets reached their own 16er en route to making NBA and franchise history. The Larry O’Brien trophy now resides in the Mile High City.
Cypher Sessions 
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