The Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat are set to face in what could be the most exciting NBA Finals in recent memory. However, while the showdown between Nikola Jokic and Jimmy Butler looks promising, there's no guarantee that casual fans will tune in to watch the series.
After all, many believe that the Nuggets-Heat showdown lacks the star power to draw more eyes to the match-up. For one, no player from both team even made it to the Top 10 in jersey sales in the past 2022-23 season, per author and reporter Chris Palmer.
It is the first time it happened in the past 18 years, with the last instance of an NBA Finals happening without a player of such status coming way back in 2004-05 when the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs played each other in the Finale.
“The big storyline heading into the NBA Finals is the lack of superstars in the Nuggets vs. Heat matchup. The Finals will not feature a player with a Top 10 selling jersey for the first time in 18 years,” Palmer wrote in his tweet.
The NBA has benefited from solid TV ratings during the second round of the NBA Playoffs when the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, two big-market teams with two really popular players, faced each other. However, with the NBA Finals lacking that level of star power, there's definitely a reason for Adam Silver and co. to be worried.
Nonetheless, if there is any silver lining, the fact that we have a Cinderella run and arguably the best player in the league in Nikola Jokic could save the NBA Finals. Jersey sales aside, both Butler and Jokic have certainly been more popular in recent weeks. And who doesn't love a good story of an eighth seed playing a top seed for the Larry O'Brien trophy?
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