Denver Nuggets Road to the Gold

Road to the Gold

NUGGETS Say Cheese !

Nikola Jokic and Nuggets ready for their international close-up in Denver’s NBA Finals debut

NBA FINALS PREVIEW SECTION

LOADED TOTS

2-item Minimum. Bone-in wings, Handmade Pan Pizza, and Bread Bowl Pasta will be extra.

Malone’s adjustments serve Denver well on finals run

BY VINNY BENEDETTO vinny.benedetto@gazette.com

The only change Nikola Jokic has noticed in Michael Malone over the years isn’t exactly a new development.

“He gives me the ball a little bit more,” Jokic said on Saturday with the Nuggets still waiting to learn of their opponent in the NBA Finals.

“I think he still have passion. He’s still into it. Still, you know, basketball-wise, he’s giving me the ball more, but like (as) a person, I think he didn’t change a lot.”

Jokic’s only NBA coach would disagree, though they are smaller changes that might not be as noticeable over time. Malone took a binary approach to the question of whether or not he has changed much. The coach’s philosophy was simple: if you’re not getting better, you’re going the opposite direction.

“If I’m the same coach I was in year one, then I’ve failed,” Malone said.

“I challenge myself to continue to grow, and not just as a coach but in all facets of life. If you’re not growing and improving, then you’re probably getting worse.”

Malone noted a few changes from when he arrived in Denver in 2015. Af-

ter his first head-coaching stint with the Kings, a short-lived experiment which began in 2013 and ended in 2014, Malone took the job in Denver ahead of the 2015-16 season. Since then, he’s learned to dial it back at times. He said he doesn’t coach every action anymore and has learned to live with the occasional loss in a league where every team loses at least 15 of its 82 games in a typical regular season. This year, the Bucks finished with the best regular-season record at 58-24 before losing in the first round of the playoffs.

“It’s not life and death,” Malone said. “You try to pick your spots when you need to be emotional. It can’t be every game. It can’t be every halftime. It can’t be every postgame, but over the years, I’ve challenged myself to look in the mirror, be honest with myself, listen to those around me and become the best version that I can be.”

That refined approach is paying off in historic fashion. After finishing with the best record in the Western Conference, 53-39, Malone led the Nuggets to the franchise’s first trip to the NBA Finals by beating the Timberwolves, Suns and Lakers in five, six and four

games, respectively. Malone’s not the type to be satisfied with the best season in franchise history when there’s a title on the line. Denver’s third-winningest coach — Malone has 367 regular-season wins in Denver behind Doug Moe (432) and George Karl (423) — watched his father, Brendan, help the Pistons win championships in 1989 and 1990.

“I had his dad in Detroit as an assistant coach,” Kentavious Caldwell-Pope said Monday. “I’ve been knowing both of them for a long time. He’s just very professional about his job. He wants to get it done, no matter what.”

This run could have come under a different coach. Malone has often voiced his appreciation for Stan and Josh Kroenke’s patience after Denver came up short in overtime of a tie-breaking Game 82 — or the play-in round before the play-in, in Malone’s words – for the final spot in the 2018 postseason.

“Probably 80%, 90% of pro sports teams probably would have said, ‘We have to pivot here. We have to go in a different direction,’” Malone said. “I can remember after that game being really dejected and down because we failed in that quest.”

After that game, Malone said Josh Kroenke was encouraged by the performance of Denver’s young stars in a decisive game. It wasn’t enough, but Jokic had 35 points and 10 rebounds, while Murray recorded 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. The Nuggets have been back to the playoffs in each of the five seasons since, gradually building up to the team’s Finals berth against the Miami Heat.

“This has been really fun to be a part of that process,” Malone said. “I can’t thank the ownership, front office (enough) for being as patient as they have been.”

The Nuggets are now the prototype for many of the NBA’s midsize or smaller markets. Drafting well and developing that talent can bridge the gap for franchises that can’t rely on attracting star free agents. That’s how Denver, under Malone’s direction, is four wins away from the franchise’s first championship. That and giving Jokic creative control of the Nuggets’ offense, but that’s nothing new for the perennial All-NBA player and two-time Most Valuable Player.

“And by the way,” Malone said. “I think I’ve given him the ball for a long time.”

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe nuggets head coach Michael Malone fist-bumps with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope during a timeout in the third quarter of the first game of the Western Conference finals at Ball arena on May 16.

NBA PLAYOFFS

FINALS

(Best-of-7; x-if necessary)

Denver vs. Miami (Times MDT)

Thursday, June 1: Miami at Denver, 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 4: Miami at Denver, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, June 7: Denver at Miami, 8:30 p.m.

Friday, June 9: Denver at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

x-Monday, June 12: Miami at Denver, TBA

x-Thursday, June 15: Denver at Miami, TBA

x-Sunday, June 18: Miami at Denver, TBA

CONFERENCE FINALS

Eastern Conference

Miami 4, Boston 3

May 17: Miami 123, Boston 116

May 19: Miami 111, Boston 105

May 21: Miami 128, Boston 102

May 23: Boston 116, Miami 99

May 25: Boston 110, Miami 97

May 27: Boston 104, Miami 103

Monday, May 29: Miami 103, Boston 84

Western Conference

Denver 4, L.A. Lakers 0

May 16: Denver 132, L.A. Lakers 126

May 18: Denver 108, L.A. Lakers 103

May 20: Denver 119, L.A. Lakers 108

May 22: Denver 113, L.A. Lakers 111

SECOND ROUND

Eastern Conference

Miami 4, New York 2

April 30: Miami 108, New York 101

May 2: New York 111, Miami 105

May 6: Miami 105, New York 86

May 8: Miami 109, New York 101

May 10: New York 112, Miami 103

May 12: Miami 96, New York 92

Boston 4, Philadelphia 3

May 1: Philadelphia 119, Boston 115

May 3: Boston 121, Philadelphia 87

May 5: Boston 114, Philadelphia 102

May 7: Philadelphia 116, Boston 115, OT

May 9: Philadelphia 115, Boston 103

May 11: Boston 95, Philadelphia 86

May 14: Boston 112, Philadelphia 88

Western Conference

L.A. Lakers 4, Golden State 2

May 2: L.A. Lakers 117, Golden State 112

May 4: Golden State 127, L.A. Lakers 100

May 6: L.A. Lakers 127, Golden State 97

May 8: L.A. Lakers 104, Golden State 101

May 10: Golden State 121, L.A. Lakers 106

May 12: L.A. Lakers 122, Golden State 101

Denver 4, Phoenix 2

April 29: Denver 125, Phoenix 107

May 1: Denver 97, Phoenix 87

May 5: Phoenix 121, Denver 114

May 7: Phoenix 129, Denver 124

May 9: Denver 118, Phoenix 102

May 11: Denver 125, Phoenix 100

FIRST ROUND

Eastern Conference

Boston 4, Atlanta 2

Saturday, April 15: Boston 112, Atlanta 99

Tuesday, April 18: Boston 119, Atlanta 106

Friday, April 21: Atlanta 130, Boston 122

TV: ABC

NUGGETS Road to the Gold

TV GUIDE FOR THE NBA FINALS

Mike Breen, play-by-play: He has called the NBA Finals a record-setting 17 times heading into this season. He joined ESPN in 2003.

Mark Jackson, analyst: The former NBA point guard and coach rejoined ESPN in 2014 after coaching the Golden State Warriors. Jackson has also worked for ESPN from 2006 to 2011.

Jeff Van Gundy, analyst: Van Gundy joined ESPN in 2007 after coaching stints with the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

Lisa Salters, sideline: The reporter has been at ESPN since 2000 and has

Sunday, April 23: Boston 129, Atlanta 121

Tuesday, April 25: Atlanta 119, Boston 117

Thursday, April 27: Boston 128, Atlanta 120

Philadelphia 4, Brooklyn 0

Saturday, April 15: Philadelphia 121, Brooklyn 101

Monday, April 17: Philadelphia 96, Brooklyn 84

Thursday, April 20: Philadelphia 102, Brooklyn 97

Saturday, April 22: Philadelphia 96, Brooklyn 88 Miami 4, Milwaukee 1

Sunday, April 16: Miami 130, Milwaukee 117

Wednesday, April 19: Milwaukee 138, Miami 122

Saturday, April 22: Miami 121, Milwaukee 99

Monday, April 24: Miami 119, Milwaukee 114

Wednesday, April 26: Miami 128, Milwaukee 126, OT New York 4, Cleveland 1

Saturday, April 15: New York 101, Cleveland 97

Tuesday, April 18: Cleveland 107, New York 90

Friday, April 21: New York 99, Cleveland 79

Sunday, April 23: New York 102, Cleveland 93

Wednesday, April 26: New York 106, Cleveland 95 Western Conference Golden State 4, Sacramento 3

Saturday, April 15: Sacramento 126, Golden State 123

Monday, April 17: Sacramento 114, Golden State 106

Thursday, April 20: Golden State 114, Sacramento 97

Sunday, April 23: Golden State 126, Sacramento 125

Wednesday, April 26: Golden State 123,

worked the sidelines for the NBA and NFL. In 2017, she worked an NBA and NFL game in the same day.

Local radio: Altitude Sports Radio (92.5 FM)

Jason Kosmicki, play-by-play: He has been the radio voice of the Nuggets for 14 years and worked for KSE for over 29 years.

Scott Hastings, analyst: The former NBA player has played or been part of the Nuggets broadcast for over 25 years. He was also the radio analyst for the Broncos’ first two Super Bowl wins.

Stream: ESPN+

THE GAZETTE STAFF

Sacramento 116

Friday, April 28: Sacramento 118, Golden State 99

Sunday, April 30: Golden State 120, Sacramento 100

Phoenix 4, L.A. Clippers 1

Sunday, April 16: L.A. Clippers 115, Phoenix 110

Tuesday, April 18: Phoenix 123, L.A.

Clippers 109

Thursday, April 20: Phoenix 129, L.A. Clippers 124

Saturday, April 22: Phoenix 112, L.A. Clippers 100

Tuesday, April 25: Phoenix 136, L.A. Clippers 130

L.A. Lakers 4, Memphis 2

Sunday, April 16: L.A. Lakers 128, Memphis 112

Wednesday, April 19: Memphis 103, L.A. Lakers 93

Saturday, April 22: L.A. Lakers 111, Memphis 101

Monday, April 24: L.A. Lakers 117, Memphis 111, OT

Wednesday, April 26: Memphis 116, L.A. Lakers 99

Friday, April 28: L.A. Lakers 125, Memphis 85

Denver 4, Minnesota 1

Sunday, April 16: Denver 109, Minnesota 80

Wednesday, April 19: Denver 122, Minnesota 113

Friday, April 21: Denver 120, Minnesota 111

Sunday, April 23: Minnesota 114, Denver 108, OT

Tuesday, April 25: Denver 112, Minnesota 109

Jokic’s close-up, and here’s the man he is: ‘A rarity’

COMMENTARY

Soak in every shot, assist, rebound, triple-double, smile, laugh, and moment with Nikola Jokic.

He won’t be here forever — in Colorado, with the Nuggets, dazzling all comers in the NBA.

Days before Jokic leads the Nuggets into their first NBA Finals, the most reluctant superstar reminded the basketball world he does not need the basketball world. On the subject of his adorable 20-month-old daughter, Joker said: “Basketball is not the main thing in my life and probably (is) never going to be.” Basketball would be fortunate to crack his personal top 10.

The NBA Finals is a close-up of Nikola Jokic, the first time most of the world has seen him shine, goof around, break the pro sports mold again.

Spoiler alert: Joker is nothing like other stars.

Ranking his priorities, they’d go like this: husband (to Natalija, a graduate of Metropolitan State University of Denver and his better half since they were teenagers 10 years ago), father (to Ognjena), brother (to siblings Nemanja and Strahinja), son (to Branislav Jokic, a retired agricultural engineer, and his wife) and horse trainer (to his beloved harness racers) ... then basketball. Maybe.On a night he could learn if the Celtics or Heat would be his opponent in the NBA Finals, Jokic instead went on a long walk with his daughter.

“I watched the first quarter,” he said. Basketball is a means to his end — providing a lovely life to the family and horses he adores.

For Nikola, it has always been and will always be family first, everything else second.

“He’s never changed,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said when I asked what he appreciates most of Jokic. “I think we all see it in all walks of life: How does fame, fortune affect you? For most people, it goes to their head and they become something different. Sometimes they forget where they come from and who helped them get there.”

All the hullabaloo over a lack of

respect and media coverage of the Nuggets is misplaced.

Jokic prefers it this way.

“One thing I really love about Nikola, who is a proud father and a husband, through all the success and MVPs and max contracts, he’s still the same guy. I marvel at that,” Malone says. “I’ve been in this league a long time, and that is a rarity for a celebrity and superstar.”

LeBron James has played 20 NBA seasons. Dirk Nowitzki played 21, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 20, Shaquille O’Neal 19, Carmelo Anthony 19, Karl Malone and John Stockton 19 apiece.

It will be an upset if Jokic, 28, remains in the spotlight while pushing 40. Nuggets executives have long believed Jokic’s worldview and aspirations align best with Tim Duncan, the Spurs star who thrived in a mid- or small market where privacy remained a possibility.

Duncan played 19 seasons — all in San Antonio. Jokic has said he wishes to stay with the Nuggets for his entire career. Denver should be so lucky to entertain 19 seasons of Joker joy. Given his priorities, I doubt that will be the case.

I remember his first practice with the Nuggets — Oct. 10, 2015. Jokic flipped hook shots over each shoulder, then tagged Malone with the ball when the coach turned his back.

Nothing has changed.

Nikola will follow his family everywhere and vice versa. When the 20-year-old arrived in the U.S. for the NBA summer league, brothers Nemanja and Strahinja drove cross-country to Las Vegas for his debut — then, when the games were over, reversed course and drove to New York City for the rookie symposium. When Nemanja sought to climb the 2,744 steps at the infamous Manitou Incline, Nikola joined his brother.

Joker told me then: “It was the worst thing since I come to America.”

The brothers forgot to pack water bottles and somehow got lost near the top of the Incline.

“I have been there three times,” Nikola said. “The first time, the last time and never again.”

Jokic was asleep in Serbia when Denver made him the No. 41 pick in the 2014 draft. His circle had been mulling a contract from Barcelona prior to the

phone call (he missed) from Denver. His own joy came from being reunited with Natalija, Nemanja and Strahinja in the U.S.

“I was more happy to be around them than to be in (the) NBA,” Jokic said last week.

As Malone said, “He cares about home. He cares about family. He cares about his horses. The guy is just who he is. I couldn’t have more respect for him as a man because of that.”

Branislav Jokic, his dad, is described as quiet, reserved and friendly with the people around his family. Mom worked as a nurse. The Jokic brothers go 6-11 (Nikola), 6-6 (Nemanja) and roughly 6-9 or 6-10 (Strahinja). His brothers used to train as MMA fighters at Denver’s “Fight.Train.Win.” gym.

Nikola’s greatest support came from his dad: “He always thought I could be something more.”

If the Nuggets win the NBA title, a parade would follow. That would be the longest time Nikola has stayed here when a season is over. He’s always on a flight to Serbia within 48 hours.

The NBA Finals are Joker’s close-up. Say cheese.

PAUL

The Denver Gazette

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe nuggets nikola Jokic fist-bumps with fans after the nuggets clinched the first round of the nBa playoffs by defeating the Timberwolves 112-109 at Ball arena on april 25.

3 keys for Denver in Game 1 of the NBA Finals

BY TYLER KING tyler.king@gazette.com

This Nuggets team already has a pretty good claim as the best team in franchise history, but now four wins separate this group from eternal glory in Denver.

It all starts with Game 1 on Thursday night at Ball Arena. The Nuggets have yet to lose in the Mile High City in the postseason, but face a Heat team that won three road games in the Eastern Conference finals.

Here are three keys for Denver in the opening game of the NBA Finals:

1. Run, run, run

When Thursday night rolls around, it will have been 10 days since the Nuggets last played a game. Facing a team that played a Game 7 on the road three days earlier and had to take a flight immediately after, Denver needs to get out in transition as much as possible. Michael Malone should be instructing his team to make this a track meet, not a basketball game.

Factoring in the fact that the Heat like to play at a slower place than the Nuggets already, playing at as fast a pace as possible will only make Miami more uncomfortable to begin the series.

The Heat have made a living of making their opponents uncomfortable all postseason long, so it’s on the Nuggets to give them a taste of their own medicine.

2. Get Jamal Murray going early

You could make the case that it’s important for everyone on the Nuggets to get out to a hot start after the long break, but given how much Denver is going to need the best version of Jamal Murray in this series, the Nuggets should try to get him as many good looks as possible in the first quarter.

We’ve all seen what Murray can do when he’s in a rhythm — Game 3 against the Lakers is the best example — and getting a big Game 1 performance out of the star guard will go a long way for the Nuggets in this series.

3. Attack Bam Adebayo early and often

There isn’t really a center in the league that has a good track record against Nikola Jokic, and Miami’s Bam Adebayo is no different.

The Heat are going to need Adebayo to play like an all-star, something he’s shown flashes of throughout his career, if they want to pull off the upset.

heat’s Bam adebayo argues a call during the second half of Game 5 of the eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks on May 10 in new york.

Whether it’s Jokic himself or with smaller guards like Murray, the Nuggets should try to attack Adebayo on defense and see if they can’t shake the confidence of the young big man. If Denver is able to get Adebayo in foul trouble or cause him to lose confidence, Miami doesn’t really have a backup option.

The assOCIaTed Press

Martin’s rise latest Heat success story

BY TIM REYNOLDS The Associated Press

DENVER • Caleb Martin was undrafted coming out of college. He entered the NBA with almost no guarantees. He had to play in the G League. Charlotte let him go after two seasons.

Desperate for a second chance, he joined the Miami Heat on a two-way contract to basically start from scratch again.

That’s what it takes for some guys to make the league.

And that’s what it took for Martin to make the NBA Finals.

On a Heat team filled with undrafted contributors, Martin stood out and became the breakout star of the Eastern Conference finals. He averaged 19.3 points on 60% shooting, scored a playoff-career-high 26 points on Boston’s home floor in Game 7, and the Heat needed it all to oust the Celtics and earn a trip to the title round against the Denver Nuggets.

“I definitely reflect on where I started and the journey it’s taken to get here, and even as early as the two-way last year,” Martin said. “But I think more than anything, it’s kind of a weird feeling because I’m also understanding that as happy as I am, as grateful I am to be here, I also understand that we have four more. The job is not done. We didn’t go through what we went through all the regular season and my personal journey to stop here.”

That’s the credo for so many in the Heat locker room.

The captain, 20-year veteran and soon-to-be retired Udonis Haslem, was undrafted. Starting point guard Gabe Vincent, undrafted. Starting shooting guard Max Strus, undrafted. Duncan Robinson, who has made more 3-pointers than anyone in Heat history, undrafted. Haywood Highsmith, who gave the Heat tremendous minutes of energy off the bench against the Celtics, undrafted.

Miami will finish this postseason with more points and starts from undrafted players than the other 15 teams that made the playoffs this year will — combined. The Heat currently have 876 points and 39 starts from undrafted guys; the rest of the league has 778 points and 31 starts. Denver basically doesn’t play anyone that isn’t undrafted, so the Heat margin on the rest of the league will only grow the rest of the way.

“That storyline is over,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said earlier in these play-

offs about the undrafted contributors.

“These guys have proven themselves as competitors and winning players.”

They have. But pointing it out isn’t a sign of disrespect. It’s a hat tip to the Heat buzz word — culture.

Miami’s player development program

— taking players that other teams overlooked, finding their strength, figuring out how to implement it into the Heat system and then working them like never before — is raved about by many in the league, and Martin is one of the best examples right now. He was one

vote away from being the MVP of the East finals after shooting 11-for-16 and scoring 26 points in Game 7 on Monday night, after not playing at all in a Game 7 loss to Boston in last year’s Eastern Conference finals.

“That might have surprised y’all,” said Heat star Jimmy Butler, who won the MVP trophy. “To the untrained eye, he just looks like he’s an undrafted guy who has been in the G League, who has started with Charlotte and now he’s here. Started on a two-way contract. That’s what it looks like to y’all. To us, he’s a hell of a player, hell of a defender, playmaker, shotmaker, all of the above.”

It makes sense that some longshot players helped the Heat get here — since as a No. 8 seed that almost was eliminated in the play-in tournament, Miami was a longshot to do much of anything in the playoffs, much less make the finals for the league-best seventh time in the past 17 seasons.

Martin was solid in the first two rounds against No. 1 Milwaukee and No. 5 New York, averaging 10.8 points on nearly 53% shooting. Against the second-seeded Celtics, his numbers soared. Boston took a risk and didn’t spend a lot of defensive effort on Martin.

He made the Celtics pay for that one.

“It’s super-high-level competition,” said Martin, whose twin brother, Cody, has been at many Heat playoff games this spring and has spent his four NBA seasons with Charlotte. “You can’t hide it. You figure out if you’re built for these type of environments or not whenever you get into them. I just I feel like I’ve just been continuously prepping and getting ready for these moments, and when these moments come, I feel like I’m ready for them. I feel like I’m built for these type of moments.”

Martin signed a three-year, $20 million contract last summer. For the real world, that’s a ton of money. For the NBA, that makes him an absolute bargain. It’s something he likely never saw coming when he was in college at N.C. State and Nevada, then never heard his name called on draft night, then got told he’d have to fight for everything he got in the league.

But he was at his best when Miami needed him most. And now the finals await.

“I’m so proud and happy for him,” Butler said. “I think he’s going to be even better in the next round, and I don’t think he’s going to be a surprise to anybody any longer.”

The assOCIaTed Press heat forward Caleb Martin and Celtics center robert Williams III vie for a rebound during the second half of Game 6 of the eastern Conference finals May 27 in Miami.

BEST BETS FOR NBA FINALS

1. HEAT AT NUGGETS (-9, -106) IN GAME 1: Denver has been great in Game 1s. That trend continues against a tired Miami team.

2. NUGGETS OVER HEAT IN 5 GAMES (+210): This seems to be a very popular pick and would have Denver closing it out at home.

3. JAMAL MURRAY TO WIN NBA FINALS MVP (+1200): Nikola Jokic is the favorite, but what if the Denver guard goes off? It is always possible.

4. JIMMY BUTLER UNDER 27.5 POINTS IN GAME 1 (-115): Aaron Gordon will have the task of slowing down the star guard. Gordon will do a good job in Game 1.

5. JOKIC OVER 1.5 THREES IN GAME 1 (+112): The star center will probably get some open looks and hit them.

— ODDS FROM FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK (CHRIS SCHMAEDEKE’S BEST BETS RECORD ATS: 143-128)

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe nuggets Michael Porter Jr. gathers with the team before Game 5 against the suns at Ball arena on May 9.

Plenty of positives to ponder

BY VINNY BENEDETTO vinny.benedetto@gazette.com

There’s no shortage of material for Michael Porter Jr.’s journal.

A nine-day break between the Nuggets’ sweep of the Lakers and Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals has provided plenty of time for ruminations. It’s also provided ample time for satisfaction to set in, something Denver’s sharpshooting starting small forward is trying to avoid.

“I try to do gratefulness journaling and just reflect during this journey on all the things there are to be grateful for, but at the same time just stay hungry, keep working, never let up,” Porter said Monday. “At the same time, you’ve got to take moments to reflect, I think. That makes it worth it.”

It has been a journey. Porter was a prodigious talent ranked No. 1 by Rivals. com in the high school Class of 2017. He had his pick of colleges but chose Missouri, returning to his hometown, Columbia, after playing his senior year of prep basketball for former NBA player Brandon Roy at Seattle’s Nathan Hale.

“He called me the other day and he pretty much was just criticizing everything that I was doing,” Porter said with a laugh. “I think he’s jealous.”

There’s plenty for Roy to be envious of when it comes to Porter. Both players had their careers threatened by injury. After winning Rookie of the Year in 2007, Roy endured six knee surgeries before realizing there was no fix for a lack of cartilage. The three-time All-Star’s career came to a premature end after the 2012-13 season. Porter’s made an impressive comeback from three back surgeries, the first of which derailed his only college season. Two more have been needed since the Nuggets drafted him with the 14th pick of the 2018 draft.

“I feel good at this point. There are some things that I’m doing different this time around to try to just keep my back in check and everything,” Porter said. “But … it could get taken away from anybody any day, so really just trying to stay in the moment and take it day by day and do my work every day and leave the rest up to God, for real.”

Porter’s return after he missed nearly all of the 2021-22 season after the third operation has been pivotal. He maintained one of basketball’s prettiest and purest 3-point shots — 41.4% this season on 7.3 attempts per game, and eight rebounds per game in this playoff run, while coming back an improved

Nuggets guard grateful for chance at NBA Finals

defender.

“This was by far his best season as an NBA player,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said. “The commitment he made to being the best defensive player he could be and buying into that end was definitely evident early on, as well as was his commitment to being the best offensive player he could be and playing without the ball and moving without the ball and spacing the floor.”

The presence of the 6-foot-10 Porter has made the puzzle of Denver’s offense even harder to solve. When the Lakers put the 6-foot-5 Austin Reaves on him, Porter had no problem shooting over ineffective contests. He scored 14 or more points in each of the four games

against the Lakers and grabbed 10 rebounds in three of those games. It’s another step in the right direction for Porter, but satisfaction hasn’t set in. He disagreed with the notion that he had much to be proud about this season.

“I don’t really look at myself like I’ve really made humongous leaps in any area. I still have a long ways to go,” Porter said. “I appreciate when people say that, but I definitely have a long way to go and a long way that I know that I can reach. I wouldn’t really say that I look at anything from the past year and am excited about it. I just keep trying to get better every day.”

Part of that is staying in the gym during the long layoff. Another is in-

ternal reflection to provide a balance that’s benefiting his team.

“First and foremost with Michael being physically healthy, I think that is giving him the mental confidence to go out there and play the game at a high level,” Malone said.

“I think the series he had against the Lakers, just the scoring, the rebounding, the efficiency was a huge part of us sweeping L.A. in that Western Conference finals. But he’s in a very good place right now. He’s confident. He’s really bought into trying to become the best player he can be on both ends of the floor.”

Either way, the Finals will provide plenty of material for the journal.

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe nuggets Michael Porter, Jr. is greeted by Zeke nnaji and Ish smith during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals at Ball arena on May 18.

aaron Gordon dunks the ball in the first quarter of the first game of the playoffs against the Timberwolves on april 16.

PhOTOs By JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is fouled by the suns’ deandre alton in the third quarter of Game 1 of the second-round series april 29.

Michael Porter Jr. is greeted by Zeke nnaji and Ish smith during Game 2 of the Western Conference finals May 18 in denver.

Christian Braun grabs a rebound during a nov. 30 game in denver.

Gold

How the Nuggets were built into a title contender

BY CHRIS SCHMAEDEKE chris.schmaedeke@gazette.com

From 2003 to 2013, the Denver Nuggets made the playoffs every year but advanced out of the first round once. Coach George Karl was part of nine of those playoff seasons but after another early exit at the hands of the Golden State Warriors, the franchise took a different route.

June 23, 2016

With the final pick swap of the Carmelo Anthony trade, the Nuggets select Kentucky guard Jamal Murray. The guard doesn’t start right away, but after his first season becomes an integral part of the Nuggets.

June 17, 2013

After the departure of Karl and general manager Masai Ujiri, the Nuggets hire Tim Connelly as the president of basketball operations. Brian Shaw is hired as coach but that turns out poorly.

June 24, 2014

A day that changes Nuggets history. Denver selects Nikola Jokic from Serbia with the 41st pick in the NBA draft. Jokic doesn’t join the Nuggets until the following summer. He becomes a twotime MVP and one of the best players in the world.

Dec. 15, 2016

Another day that changes Nuggets history. Malone decides that the best bet is to start Jokic at center and have Jusuf Nurkic come off the bench. This doesn’t sit well with Nurkic and he is traded to the Portland Trailblazers.

April 11, 2018

The Nuggets and Timberwolves have a winner-makes-the-playoffs matchup on the final day of the season, Game 82. Minnesota wins in overtime but the blueprint has been discovered, as Murray and Jokic shine in the loss.

to take a risk with the pick. Michael Porter Jr., who once was considered to be a potential No. 1 pick, slides down the board. The Nuggets take MPJ at No. 14.

April 13, 2019

The Nuggets return to the NBA playoffs for the first time in five seasons. They earn the No. 2 seed. Denver beats San Antonio in seven games before falling to Portland in the conference semifinals. They lose Game 7 at home.

April 12,

2021

A day that derails the Nuggets for almost two seasons. Murray tears the ACL in his left knee in a road game against the Warriors. Denver is coming together after the trade of Gordon and seems like a title contender. Murray does not return until the start of the 2022-23 season.

June 15, 2015

After the Shaw experiment fails, Denver hires Michael Malone to be their next coach. Malone was previously the coach of the Sacramento Kings but was fired after starting his second season 11-13.

June 21, 2018

The Nuggets have the final pick of the lottery in the NBA draft and the ability

Aug. 17, 2020

The NBA bubble playoffs begin with the Nuggets as the No. 3 seed. “Bubble Murray” is born as he helps the Nuggets come back from 3-1 deficits against the Jazz and Clippers. The first trip to the Western Conference finals since 2009 ends in a five-game loss to the Lakers.

May 23, 2022

Connelly is hired by Minnesota as its president of basketball operations. Denver promotes Calvin Booth to general manager. The former Penn State star has been with the Nuggets since 2017.

July 6-7, 2022

Booth makes changes. His first major move is acquiring Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith from Washington for Monte Morris and Will Barton. The next day, Booth signs Bruce Brown, who becomes one of the league’s top reserves.

March 25, 2021

After the great draft picks of Jokic, Murray and Porter, it is time for Connelly to pull the trigger on a big trade. He sends Gary Harris, R.J. Hampton and a 2025 first-round pick to Orlando in exchange for forward Aaron Gordon.

May 22, 2023

After 47 years, the Nuggets clinch their first berth in the NBA Finals with a sweep of the Lakers. Denver beats Minnesota, Phoenix and L.A. on its way to the championship round.

THE STARTING LINEUPS

Porter Jr. Aaron Gordon Nikola Jokic

Playoff stats: 13 points, 2.5 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 11 net rating

First it was Karl-Anthony Towns, then Kevin Durant, then LeBron James. Now it’s Butler. Gordon has the chance to cement himself as one of the league’s best and most versatile defenders with another big task in the Finals.

Jamal Murray

Playoff stats (per game): 27.7 points, 6.1 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 39.8% 3-pointers

Facing a Miami defense that likes to switch things up and play zone on occasion, the Nuggets need a good shooting series from Murray. Denver doesn’t need him to score 30 points in a half like he did in Game 3 against the Lakers, but to be a consistent scorer. The Nuggets could also use his swagger against a guy who has plenty of it in Jimmy Butler.

Playoff stats: 13.1 points, 3.9 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 39% 3-pointers

One of the unsung heroes for the Heat, Vincent has gone from undrafted free agent to a vital piece of a team in the Finals. He’s not afraid to let if fly from beyond the arc, so he’s not someone Denver can ignore in this series.

Playoff stats: 29.9 points, 10.3 assists, 13.3 rebounds, 47.4% 3-pointers, 8 triple-doubles

The all-time greats had their NBA Finals moment. Is this Jokic’s? If he continues to average a triple-double and hit ridiculous shots to beat the shot clock, he could be hoisting not only the championship trophy but also a Finals MVP trophy.

Playoff stats: 14.6 points, 1.8 assists, 8 rebounds, 40.8% 3-pointers

This series might be MPJ’s reminder to the rest of the country that he was once the best high school basketball player in his class. While back injuries derailed him from becoming a superstar in the NBA, he’s proved this postseason he can be a key piece to a winning operation.

Playoff stats: 11.7 points, 1.6 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 41.2% 3-pointers

FORWARD

Playoff stats: 28.5 points, 5.7 assists, 7 rebounds, 48.3% field goals

The only player not named Nikola Jokic with a real case as the best player in the playoffs is Butler. It’s been well-documented that he has the ability to transform into Michael Jordan once the regular season ends. Now he’s now taken a No. 8 seed (that nearly didn’t make it out of the playin tournament) to the NBA Finals.

Bruce Brown will continue to play a big role, just like he has all postseason, but this should also be a chance for Christian Braun and Jeff Green to make an impact against a Miami team that has a handful of wings that can not only score but also play solid defense.

Aside from the fact KCP is the only NBA champ in the Nuggets locker room, his fit in Denver could not be more perfect. Denver will need his 3-point shooting once again and there’s a good chance he’ll be tasked with trying to slow down Butler at some point early in the series.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Reserves

The big “X-factor” in this series could be Tyler Herro. The sharpshooting guard reportedly will return at some point in the series, potentially as early as Game 3, and that will be a big boost to the Miami offense. Even if he doesn’t, the Heat will continue to turn to Duncan Robinson, Kyle Lowry and maybe even Haywood Highsmith or Kevin Love off the bench to give them a boost.

Playoff stats: 10.3 points, 1 assist, 3.3 rebounds

Yet another undrafted player the Nuggets can’t afford to lose on defense. Strus has proven his value as a solid two-way player in Miami. He’s streaky, but Strus can get hot in a hurry.

FORWARD

CENTER

Playoff stats: 16.8 points, 3.8 assists, 9.2 rebounds, 49.2 % field goals

The Heat need Adebayo to have the series of his life against Jokic if they want to have a shot. Adebayo has struggled against Jokic in the past and he must show the gap between him and the elite centers in the league isn’t as wide as many observers believe.

Playoff stats: 14.1 points, 1.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds, 43.8% 3-pointers

Martin nearly won Eastern Conference finals MVP — and deservingly so. He’s been not only the Heat’s second-best player this postseason. Sometimes, such as in Game 7 against Boston, he’s also their best player. Another two-way wing that is a streaky shooter, Martin needs to stay hot if Miami continues playing well on the road.

THE HEAT

Michael

Gabe Vincent

Max Strus

Bam Adebayo

Caleb Martin

Jimmy Butler

GUARD GUARD

GUARD

GUARD

LINEUP BREAKDOWN BY TYLER KING, THE GAZETTE

GAZETTE SPORTS STAFF PREDICTIONS

Paul Klee, Denver Gazette sports editor

Nuggets over Heat in 7: Ignore the odds that make Denver a huge favorite. This will be the Nuggets’ most difficult series yet. But Nikola Jokic has a favorite Miami nightclub where he’d love to blast the Serbian national anthem as he did after a 2021 win. Let it breathe, Joker.

Chris Schmaedeke, digital sports editor

Nuggets over Heat in 5: Denver is much better than Miami. Aaron Gordon silences Jimmy Butler and the Nuggets pull a “gentleman’s sweep” in the NBA Finals. Nikola Jokic is dominant again and Jamal Murray has at least two 30-point games in the series win.

Vinny

Benedetto, Nuggets beat reporter

Nuggets over Heat in 5: As good as Bam Adebayo is, the Heat don’t have an answer for Nikola Jokic. The Nuggets exploit the mismatch repeatedly, snagging a game in Miami, before finishing off the franchise’s first championship at Ball Arena. There’s no dispute over Denver’s dominance in the end, as Phoenix, the only team to force a Game 6 against the Nuggets, needed two near-perfect games from Devin Booker to extend that series.

Kyle Fredrickson, Colorado Avalanche beat reporter

Nuggets over Heat in 6: Jimmy Butler has been the most entertaining player this postseason not named Nikola Jokic. Butler has the ability to take over a game and lead his team to vic-

tory. But he doesn’t have the supporting cast to win a title. The Nuggets do. That’s the difference in this series.

Chris Tomasson, Denver Broncos beat reporter

Nuggets over Heat in 5: After surviving against the Celtics and avoiding the embarrassment of being the

NBA FINALS: TALE OF THE TAPE

NBA TITLES

Denver: 0

Miami: 3

NBA FINALS

Denver: 1

Miami: 7

NBA SEASONS

Denver: 47 (2,310-2,221; 29 playoff appearances)

Miami: 35 (1,475-1,328; 24 playoff appearances)

COACH

Denver: Michael Malone (406-337 in eight seasons at Denver)

Miami: Erik Spoelstra (704-491 in 15 seasons at Miami)

TEAM MVP

Denver: Nikola Jokic, two-time NBA MVP

Miami: Jimmy Butler, five-time All-NBA

HOMECOURT

Denver: Ball Arena (19,099)

Miami: Kaseya Center (19,600)

ELEVATION

Denver: 5,280 feet

Miami: 6 feet

2023 PLAYOFFS RECORD

Denver: 12-3

Miami: 12-6

2023 REGULAR-SEASON RECORD

Denver: 53-29 (No. 1 seed Western Conference)

Miami: 44-38 (No. 8 Eastern Conference)

MASCOT

Denver: Rocky, the GOAT mascot in his 33rd

first NBA team to blow a 3-0 lead, the Heat will breathe a big sigh of relief. But while they’re doing that, the Nuggets will zoom by in the left lane and claim the first championship in team history. It will be quite a victory parade.

Tyler King, college sports reporter

Nuggets over Heat in 5: The Nug-

season

Miami: Burnie, 7-foot-6 Phillie Phanatic knock-off

TICKET PRICES

Denver: $650 in Section 374

Miami: $560 in Section 411

As of Tuesday on Ticketmaster

FAVORITE NIKOLA

Denver: Jokic, 28, a Serbian who plays basketball as if it’s water polo

Miami: Jovic, 19, a Serbian who grew up playing water polo

CAREER SCORING LEADERS

Denver: Alex English (21,645 points)

Miami: Dwyane Wade (21,556 points)

OBSCURE PLAYER

Denver: PG Winston Garland (1991-92)

gets are simply a much better team than the Heat. Opportunities like this come around sometimes once in a career, even for the great ones like Nikola Jokic. “Heat Culture” can only take an 8-seed so far.

Denver makes its first NBA title look easy, proving that the best team in the league this season has been in the Mile High City all along.

Miami: PF Tellis Frank (1989-90)

BEST BACK-TO-BACK

Denver: Avalanche ‘22 Stanley Cup champs; Nuggets ’23 NBA champs(?)

Miami: Heat-Nuggets Game 3 on June 7; Panthers-Knights Game 3 on June 8

FAMOUS FANS

Denver: Trey Parker and Matt Stone, “South Park” creators and Casa Bonita owners

Miami: Jimmy Buffett, “Margaritaville” mayor, ejected in 2001 from a courtside seat

TOTAL PLAYERS

Denver: 419, from (Mahmoud) Abdul-Rauf to (George) Zidek

Miami: 281, from (Precious) Achiuwa to (Wang) Zhizhi

PAUL KLEE, THE GAZETTE

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe nuggets guard Jamal Murray goes past the suns’ Kevin durant for two of his 34 points in the fourth quarter of Game 1 of their Western Conference semifinals at Ball arena on april 29. The nuggets defeated the suns 125-107.

Jackson was heckled by ‘clowns’ in Denver over Jokic MVP snub

BY STEFAN BONDY New York Daily News

Mark Jackson was heckled by Denver Nuggets fans because he left Nikola Jokic off his official MVP ballot. And while Jackson downplayed the taunts, there’s some discrepancy over the level of nastiness.

“Mark is being kind to some of those fans. Some of those fans were clowns at the game,” said Jeff Van Gundy, who

STATISTICS

sat next to Jackson during the heckling as the ESPN analysts both called the Western Conference finals in Denver.

“It used to be when you say you made a mistake, it goes away.”

Jackson didn’t include Jokic in his top-5 for MVP voting and later acknowledged it was an oversight. Jokic finished second in the voting to Joel Embiid, a result that looked foolish as the playoffs unfolded.

Jackson and Van Gundy will call Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

“I’ve had no issues at all and I don’t expect any other than one or two fans during one of the games at the Western Conference Finals,” Jackson said. “And fortunately out of the two men [that were heckling], one of them apologized on the way out. So nothing but class.

I understand the quick and slick comments. I’m fine with that.”

The Nuggets and especially their coach, Mike Malone, have adopted an us-against-the-world public approach by pointing out that the team is overlooked by the national media. Van Gundy, no stranger to sending messages through the media when he was a coach, called it meaningless.

“The whole stuff about disrespect is tiring,” Van Gundy said. “We’ve all done it as coaches, and it means nothing.”

nuggets coach Michael Malone is all smiles as he greets Christian Braun and Bruce Brown during a timeout in the third quarter of a 109-95 victory over the sacramento Kings on april 9 at Ball arena in denver.

JerILee BenneTT, The GaZeTTe