History beckons for Miami

Jokic’s Denver out to spoil fairytale ending

The Miami Heat have the chance to make history when the NBA Finals kick off this morning, Thai time, facing a well-rested Denver Nuggets squad that is uninterested in letting the Heat’s Cinderella story go any further.

Miami would be the first eighth seed to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy after opening their improbable play-off run with a compelling 4-1 win over the Milwaukee Bucks, who had boasted the best record in the league.

Only the second eighth seed to reach the championship series after the New York Knicks 24 years ago, they almost squandered their 3-0 head start over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals before clinching Game Seven on the road on Monday.

“I know the work that we all put into it so I know what we’re capable of but nobody’s satisfied, we haven’t done anything,” Eastern Conference finals MVP Jimmy Butler told reporters.

“We don’t play just to win the Eastern Conference, we play to win the whole thing.”

The six-time All-Star, who produced a game-high 28 points on Monday, has been a key figure in an injury-battered Heat rotation, with star guard Tyler Herro reportedly eying a return after fracturing his hand in the first round.

“Not surprising that they would win a play-off series and compete moving forward, but no matter what their team looked like, losing key players, I wouldn’t pick that team to wind up as one of the last two standing,” ABC NBA Finals analyst Mark Jackson told reporters.

“It says a lot about their competitive spirit, their culture.”

The Heat, coached by Erik Spoelstra, face the ultimate test against twice MVP Nikola Jokic’s Nuggets.

Denver cruised through the opening two rounds before embarrassing the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-game sweep to win the West more than a week ago.

“We don’t give up,” centre Jokic said after reaching the NBA Finals.

“I’ve been saying this the last five years, when we were bad, we were good, we don’t give up.”

Denver guard Jamal Murray has been in good form after making his return after missing last season because of an ACL injury.

“I had some ups and downs during the season, some sore days where I couldn’t play, and those sucked,” Murray said.

“Played my first back-to-back in January or something like that. It’s just been trending [forward]. Every month I feel my knee get better and more solid and more consistent in the way it’s going to feel.”

But while oddsmakers put the Nuggets at a mile-high advantage to collect the franchise’s first title, coach Michael Malone told reporters he expects the series to be “the biggest challenge of our lives.”

“Forget the eighth seed stuff — they beat Milwaukee four to one,” said Malone.

“You get to the NBA Finals, it’s not about seeding anymore. And for those that are thinking that this is going to be an easy series — I don’t even know what to say to you.”

Meanwhile, Denver were installed by sportsbooks as the heavy favourites to win the title.

The sportsbook also reported that the most bets on exact series outcome was Denver to sweep Miami in four games.

Jokic is the heavy favourite to take home NBA Finals MVP honours.