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The Denver Nuggets have earned a comfortable 3-1 lead over the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals.
Teams with a 3-1 lead in the finals are a combined 35-1 in league history. While the series is not yet over, it is a good opportunity to look at the three best players from the Heat-Nuggets series.
#3) Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Jimmy Butler has been the best player for the Miami Heat the entire playoffs. Despite the Heat defeating teams like Bucks and Celtics, the Heat are down 3-1 to the Nuggets.
After tying the series 1-1 in Game 2, the Heat have lost two consecutive games. In both these games, Butler was the leading scorer for the Heat with 28 and 25 points in Game 3 and Game 4, respectively. Butler has also been averaging almost 7 assists per game in these NBA Finals.
That said, his impact on the game has not quite been what his fans and critics are accustomed to.
Jimmy is still the best player on the Heat in the NBA Finals, but he hasn't lived up to the "Playoff Jimmy" standards. This is why he is number three on the list.
#2) Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Jamal Murray, on any given night, is the first or second-best player on the Nuggets. Murray has taken on the role of being a primary playmaker for the Denver Nuggets.
He had at least 10 assists in four consecutive games of the NBA Finals. A feat only Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Bob Cousy have accomplished in NBA history. Murray also had a triple-double with 34 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a pivotal game three of the 2023 NBA Finals.
Without Murray's exceptional performances, it is hard to say that the Nuggets would see the success they are in the NBA Finals.
#1) Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Jokic has been the best player on the floor the entire series. Jokic is averaging 30.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 8.0 assists in the 2023 NBA Finals. He has been +13 in the three wins against the Heat. He also became the first player in NBA finals history to record a 30-20-10 triple-double.
Even in the one loss that Denver had, Jokic dropped 41 points on the Heat. It is no doubt that Jokic is carrying a huge chunk of Denver's playmaking and scoring responsibilities. The Nuggets center has shown tremendous resilience. When he suffered an apparent ankle injury in Game 4 that sent him to the locker room, he later returned with a taped ankle.
If the Nuggets do end up winning the series, Jokic will be a strong favorite to win the NBA Finals MVP, cementing himself as the best player in the finals.
