The NBA Finals are set to kick off tonight for Game 1 between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat from Ball Arena, with the home side listed as sizable favorites.
All odds courtesy of the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Miami Heat (+295) vs. Denver Nuggets (-370) Total: 219 (O-110, U-110)Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals features two teams that entered the playoffs with very different journeys. The Miami Heat needed the NBA Play-In Tournament to qualify as an 8-seed, while the Nuggets were the top seed in the Western Conference. Don’t let Miami’s seeding fool you, though, this team is playoff battle-tested, and they’ve shown that to the world after taking down the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, and Boston Celtics.
The Nuggets have won six straight games against the Miami Heat, including two this season, with victories by four and five points. Denver’s been one of the NBA’s most dominant home teams this season, especially in the postseason, where they remain undefeated with an 8-0 record. With their success at Ball Arena and how they wiped through the Western Conference in just 15 games, the Nuggets are listed as sizable favorites in Game 1 on the moneyline and spread. Denver is priced at -370 on the moneyline, while the Heat are listed at +295. On the spread, the Nuggets are 9-point home favorites.
Denver has been a challenging home team to figure out for the opposition. Five of the eight games they’ve won on their home floor have been by nine or more points. With the rest that Denver had after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and the Heat’s series with Boston ultimately going seven games, this could be an ugly Game 1. It’s undoubtedly a significant number, and the Heat have done an admirable job keeping games close during the postseason. Still, Denver has looked like a team in a different class at home, and we like for them to come out on top in Game 1 by double-digits.
Best Bet: Nuggets -9 (-110)
The Nuggets and Heat faced off twice during the regular season, which saw them combine to score 233 and 220 points. The total for Game 1 is 219, with the over and under listed at -110. In the postseason, the Nuggets averaged 116.4 points, while the Heat averaged 111.7 points per game. These teams have had no issues showing their offensive prowess during the playoffs, and that bodes well for a high-scoring Game 1. With the Nuggets being fully healthy and rested, they should be able to run the floor and create a ton of offense tonight. Miami can do enough offensively in Game 1 with their ability to spread the floor, which leads to us liking the over 219 at -110.
Best Bet: Over 219 (-110)
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