Heat vs Nuggets: 3 best bets for Game 5 of NBA Finals
After a strong performance led in Game 4, the Denver Nuggets now have a commanding 3-1 in the NBA Finals. The Heat were unable to make the most of their home-field advantage and now find themselves in a must-win spot on Monday night.
Through four games, the Nuggets have dominated more often than not. While you can never truly write off Jimmy Butler and the Heat, the Denver Nuggets come back to Ball Arena with all the momentum on their side.
NBA Finals Game 5 Info
Who: Heat @ Nuggets (Denver leads 3-1)
When: Monday, June 1th, 2023, at 8:30 pm EST
Where: Ball Arena, Denver
How to watch: ABC
NBA Finals Game 5 Betting Odds
MONEYLINE: DEN ML (-390), MIA ML (+320)
SPREAD: DEN -9 (-105), MIA +9 (-115)
TOTAL: O/U 208
Best Betting Offers for NBA Finals Game 5: Nuggets vs Heat
NBA Finals Game 5 betting preview
This series has been a surprisingly dominant affair up to this point. The Denver Nuggets have a 3-1 lead and the only team to EVER come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals was the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers. That’s not to say it can’t be done, and it’s not like the Heat have been pushovers, but it’s a tall order for Jimmy Butler and company.
Nikola Jokic: Under 29 points
Nikola Jokic has been the man at the center of Denver’s dominance. Even though he encountered foul trouble in game 4, he still found a way to put up 23 points, 12 boards, and 4 assists. His points total sits at 29 going into game 5, a total he’s surpassed twice this series. That’s a 50% strike rate and with Denver at home and all the momentum at Ball Arena, Jokic might not have to go 100%. His season average is 24.5 points as well, giving us even more reason to back the under.
Miami Heat: Under 99 points
From a Miami perspective, it’s hard not to look directly at Jimmy Butler. Bam Adebayo stepped up in game 4, but it’s Butler who once again shouldered the load. Along with Kyle Lowry, Butler, and Adebayo have very much been dragging the Heat through this series while sporadic shooting has haunted their teammates. According to Trent Santos of Sports Illustrated, the Heat accounted for a total of 37 points in game 4. That bench performance just isn’t going to cut it against a Nuggets defense that’s allowed an average of 112 points per game in the regular season and 106 points in the playoffs.
Miami’s points total sits at 99 and they’ve eclipsed that total only once this series. Butler might need to put up 40 on his own for the Heat to have a chance, but the glaring lack of consistent scoring from elsewhere should see Denver comfortably cover here.
Gabriel Vincent: Over 10 points
As expected, Jimmy Butler’s points total is high, sitting at 26. It may be more profitable to look at one of the underperforming bench players to step up. Gabe Vincent ticks that box as a player who has had two contrasting halves to this series. he started out red hot, putting up 19+ points in the opening two games, and has since struggled to even score more than 5 in a single game. The median should be around 12, and he’s averaging 9.4 on the season. With the line at 10, there is some real value here.
AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee
