If anybody says they picked Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat as the NBA Finals matchup in the lead-up to the playoffs, take them off your Christmas list, because they’re lying. Nikola Jokic might be the best player in the world, sure, but this isn’t an NBA Finals matchup with as much star power as many other potential matchups would have. Still, both teams have a pretty damn useful pair of All-Star caliber guys, and with a host of role players performing well beyond expectations, we’re set-up for an enthralling series.
Given it’s a one-seed vs. an eight-seed, most would expect the Nuggets to have the edge in a player-by-player comparison, and they’d probably be right. Here is a list of the best players in the NBA Finals, ranked. Note that the still injured Tyler Herro been excluded.
1. Nikola Jokic
There’s not too much grey area here. Nikola Jokic would be the number one player on any list, and he will be the most significant player in this series. After another fantastic regular season, he’s taken things up a notch in the playoffs, averaging 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists. He is the driving force behind this at times unstoppable Denver offense, and even the typically robust Miami defense won’t likely be able to slow him down.
2. Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler might walk the talk as well as anyone in the NBA. He makes no attempts to hide his unshakeable confidence in himself, and time after time he delivers; this season he’s jumped from 22.9 regular season points per game to 28.5 in the playoffs, similar to what he did last year. He didn’t have quite the impact against the Boston Celtics as he did earlier in the playoffs, but it was still enough to earn Eastern Conference Finals MVP. There’s no doubting Miami has less talent than Denver, and if they get close, it will likely be largely on the back of this guy.
3. Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray doesn’t get quite the plaudits he perhaps deserves during the regular season, but come playoffs he typically shows what he’s capable of. This year has been no different. He’s been brilliant for the Nuggets in the postseason, averaging 27.7 points per game, and his performance against the Los Angeles Lakers in particular was a key reason they advanced to the NBA Finals with such ease. At his best he’s an unstoppable offensive force, and could easily take a couple of games away from the Heat on his own.
4. Bam Adebayo
Bam Adebayo is a two-time All-Star and four-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, though in these playoffs he hasn’t exactly been at his best. Against the Boston Celtics he wilted under the bright lights, at least on offense, but he’s capable of much more and his defensive presence never wanes. He’ll have a massive job on Jokic throughout this series, and will ideally need to lift his offensive output for the Heat to compete as well.
5. Caleb Martin
This seems weird, but I dare you to try to argue with it. No one would have guessed Caleb Martin would be the fifth best player in an NBA Finals before, well, ever, but so consistently good has he been of late that this is where we find ourselves. He’s got better as the postseason has gone on, and if he continues his lights out shooting and pestering defense, he could play a key role in Miami’s fortunes.
6. Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon has found his ideal home in Denver, playing as a fourth or fifth option on offense and defending typically the best guy on the opposing team. In this series, that guy will be Butler. Ideally he’ll also contribute offensively, but his biggest job will be keeping Butler at bay, and if he does that it’s hard to see the Nuggets losing.
7. Michael Porter Jr.
If this list was based on talent alone, MPJ would be a lot higher, but still – the seventh best player in an NBA Finals is no mean feat. Porter Jr. has become a pivotal player for the Nuggets, willing to accept a smaller role on offense while remaining a dynamic scorer, and importantly an improved defender. He’s also become low-key consistent, and as a perennial offensive threat he’ll be super important for the Nugs.
8. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Based on recent performance, KCP could easily lay claim to deserving to be a couple of spots higher on this list. Always a good backcourt defender, his offense has also been firing on all cylinders of late, particularly against the Lakers. He’ll be one guy the Nuggets will be happy to have switching onto Butler, and if his shot is falling like it has been he’ll be key at both ends.
9. Bruce Brown
He’s not the most talented guy going around, but Bruce Brown has shown what he can do on the big stage this postseason. The proverbial Swiss Army Knife, he’s been a punchy scorer off the bench for the Nuggets as well as a capable ball-handler and defender, and he’ll play important minutes for Denver this series.
10. Gabe Vincent
Gabe Vincent isn’t going to blow anyone away with what he does on the floor, but he is the quintessential Heat player; reliable, a solid defender, and someone who plays within his means. With the added bonus of being able to occasionally go off – as he did in Game 3 against Boston – expect Erik Spoelstra to lean heavily on him against the Nuggets.
11. Kyle Lowry
The Heat have made no secret about how much they love what Lowry brings to the floor, though their patience must be wearing thin after his recent form. He hasn’t scored in double figures for six games in a row, but while he does bring a lot more to the floor than scoring, they’ll be looking for more from him this series.
12. Max Strus
Strus’ offense has been important for the Heat this season, but he enters the Finals in some very average form. Late in each game, Erik Spoelstra typically has to decide between he and Duncan Robinson, and while the nod was going to the latter fairly often against the Heat, Strus has brought more to the table throughout the course of the season.
13. Duncan Robinson
Robinson has hardly been getting a look in this season, but he’s picked the most important time of the season to recapture his form. His minutes could vary significantly; if he’s hitting shots it will be a huge boost for the Heat against a Nuggets team that typically puts up plenty of points, but if he’s not his value is pretty minimal.
14. Jeff Green
It’s kind of weird that Jeff Green is still running around playing in NBA Finals. Still, here he is. He’ll come off the bench and play 15-20 minutes, hit a couple of shots here and there, and that’s about it.
15. Kevin Love
Alongside Green, Love is the least significant player in this series of those likely to get minutes. He’s been starting then hardly playing beyond the first quarter most of the playoffs; even that may not continue with Caleb Martin moving into the starting lineup, leaving Love to play just a handful of minutes off the bench.
With the better star duo and six of the top nine on the above list, things are looking up for the Nuggets. The Celtics, however, probably thought the same. The Nuggets certainly have the talent advantage, but as we've learned, underestimate the Heat at your own risk.
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