Miami Can't Do It.... Can They? Hey ,  And then there were two.  A historic NBA Playoffs is nearing its conclusion as there are only two teams left standing in the battle for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.  Let’s take a look at the interesting matchup that lies ahead.  #8 Miami Heat vs #1 Denver Nuggets  What is there left to say about the Miami Heat?  With this Finals appearance you could make the argument that Miami is the most well run organization in the NBA – they are certainly in the top 5.  Think about how crazy it is for them to be 4 games away from a championship?  They were 125/1 to win the NBA Finals after losing their opening play in game to the Atlanta Hawks, and the favorites to come out of the East were Milwaukee, Boston, and Philadelphia… there was NO mention of Miami.  Adding to this Miami’s players don’t exactly scream out as superstars – yes they have Jimmy Butler, who is a superb playoff performer, but besides that they have a bunch of three point shooters and Bam Adebayo.  Furthermore, Tyler Herro, one of their better three point shooters has been hurt for most of the playoffs, and Bam Adebayo has had an indifferent playoff run so far.  So it is nothing short of remarkable that the Heat dispatched the Bucks (albeit without Giannis Antetokounmpo for most of the series) and a Celtics team boasting Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.  That goes without mentioning that the Heat NEARLY blew a 3-0 lead and were on course to be the first team to lose a series in which they were up 3-0…. Only to redeem themselves by winning Game 7…. in Boston.  On the other side you have a Denver Nuggets team that has had the complete opposite playoff run to the Heat.  Yes the Nuggets were overlooked like Miami (Denver is likely one of the more overlooked 1 seeds in recent memory) but Denver’s series results in order read 4-1, 4-2, 4-0.  Denver comes in as overwhelming favorites to capture the franchise’s first title – I have seen their odds of winning the series be close to 90%.  So this will be another straightforward series for the Nuggets right…… errrrr incorrect!  Is Denver on paper better than Miami?  Yes, but so were the Bucks and Celtics (see above for to what happened to them)  So what will be the keys for Miami to pull off an upset?  Step one has to be limiting Nikola Jokic, which I think will be EXTREMELY difficult given that Anthony Davis, one of the best interior defenders in the league, could not stop the 2 time MVP.  Step two will be exploiting the Nuggets poor defense – for as great as Denver is offensively, they do have some flaws defensively starting with Jokic.  Can Miami exploit Jokic with pick and rolls enough to cause serious damage?  I think there is a genuine hope they can – Jimmy Butler attacking the paint against Jokic is a matchup Miami should win.  From there it will come down to the supporting casts of each team.  Both boast excellent players around their superstars.  For Denver it is Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.  For Miami, honestly it’s their entire team – Caleb Martin, Duncan Robinson, and pretty much everyone else has played a significant role in getting the Heat to his position.  The last thing I should mention is the experience factor.  Miami has been to the Finals before and Denver has not.  Obviously it is hard to quantify how much of an advantage (if any) it gives but I think it definitely helps throughout the series.  So the big question….  Who will win the NBA Finals?  Call me crazy, I know I am crazy, but I am taking the Heat.  They just have a refuse to lose mentality that seems to show up time and again no matter the situation.  I will take the Heat to win in six games.  Best regards, Olin G. Head of Research at Juicy Wagers       JuicyWagers.com is a publisher and the information provided through its products and services are for informational purposes only. To the extent any such information is deemed to be advice, such information is impersonal and not tailored to the needs of any specific person. JuicyWagers.com and its affiliates are not responsible for any actions taken by a user of their published information. Headley Investment Analysis, Inc., 201 West Vine Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40507, United States You may [unsubscribe]( or [change your contact details]( at any time.