NBA Finals

The 2022/23 NBA Finals took place between the Denver Nuggets (Western Conference Champions) and Miami Heat (Eastern Conference Champions) in June of 2023 and saw the Nuggets take out the series 4-1 for their first NBA Championship success 

The Championship Series for the seasonal NBA competition is known as the NBA Finals and pits the Western and Eastern NBA Conference Champions against each other for the title in the final round of the NBA Playoffs.

The NBA Playoffs feature eight teams from each conference made up of the three division winners and the next best NBA team from each conference based on their season record.

NBA Playoffs results decide the two NBA Conferences winners.

The final round of the NBA Playoffs – run under a tournament format – is the NBA Finals that are held annually in June.

The NBA Finals series is a best-of-seven game structure and the first team to win four games take out the NBA League Championship. The successful squad are also awarded the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

Seasonal pro-American basketball champions have been decided since 1947, but the series format has undergone a few changes over the years and the official NBA Finals title was officially decided upon in 1986.

The Boston Celtics hold the record for most NBA Finals won (17).

2022/23 NBA Finals Series

• Season: 77th
• Dates: June, 2023
• Reigning NBA Champions: Denver Nuggets (2022/23 season)
• Runners-Up: Miami Heat
• Series Score: Denver Nuggets Win Series 4-1
• MVP: Nikola Jokić (Denver Nuggets)

2022/23 NBA FINALS SCHEDULE & RESULTS

Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat 

Series Result: Denver Nuggets Wins Series 4-1

GAME 1 Result: Miami Heat (93) lost to the Denver Nuggets (104)

• Date: June 2nd, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Miami Heat
• Score: Heat 93 – 104 Nuggets
• Result: Denver leads series, 1–0

GAME 2 Result: Miami Heat (111) defeated the Denver Nuggets (108)

• Date: June 5th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Miami Heat
• Score: Heat 111 – 108 Nuggets
• Result: Series tied, 1–1

• Date: June 10th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
• Winner: Denver Nuggets
• Score: Nuggets 108 – Heat 95
• Result: Denver leads series, 3–1

GAME 5: Miami Heat (89) lost to the Denver Nuggets (94)

• Date: June 13th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Denver Nuggets
• Score: Heat 89 – 94 Nuggets
• Result: Denver wins series, 4–1

All the regular basketball betting markets are open across the NBA Playoffs. Outright NBA odds are open months in advance of the Playoffs series and are determined by the NBA results across the season. Other popular NBA Playoffs betting markets include the Eastern Conference and Western Conference winners.
Popular NBA Playoffs Bet Types include:

• NBA Championship Winner
• NBA Eastern Conference Winner
• NBA Western Conference Winner

2023 NBA Playoffs: NBA Finals

Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat

Series Result: Denver Nuggets Win Series 4-1

GAME 1 Result: Miami Heat (93) lost to the Denver Nuggets (104)

• Date: June 2nd, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Miami Heat
• Score: Heat 93 – 104 Nuggets
• Result: Denver leads series, 1–0

GAME 2 Result: Miami Heat (111) defeated the Denver Nuggets (108)

• Date: June 5th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Miami Heat
• Score: Heat 111 – 108 Nuggets
• Result: Series tied, 1–1

• Date: June 10th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
• Winner: Denver Nuggets
• Score: Nuggets 108 – 95 Heat
• Result: Denver leads series, 3–1

GAME 5: Miami Heat (89) lost to the Denver Nuggets (94)

• Date: June 13th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: Denver Nuggets
• Score: Nuggets 94 – 89 Heat

Result: Denver wins series, 4–1

GAME 6: Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat

• Date: June 16th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Kaseya Center, Miami, FL
• Winner: TBD
• Score: TBD
• Result: TBD

GAME 7: Miami Heat vs. Denver Nuggets

• Date: June 19th, 2023 (Aust. time)
• Venue: Ball Arena, Denver, CO
• Winner: TBD
• Score: TBD
• Result: TBD

2022/23 NBA Finals Betting

NBA Finals betting is open all year round via the NBA Championship Winner markets.

The most popular NBA Finals odds are head-to-head markets for each match, plus line and total points betting.

NBA Finals History

• From 1946 – 1983 the NBA Championship Winners received the Walter A. Brown Trophy
• From 1985 – 2013 the NBA Finals used a 2-3-2 game format – home court advantage to the team with the better NBA regular season record
• During that time teams with home-court advantage dominate the NBA Finals results 21 – 8
• Prior to 1985 and for one year in 2014 the NBA Championship Finals Series followed the 2-2-1-1-1 format

NBA Finals – Known As

• BAA Finals (1947 – 1949)
• NBA World Championship Series (1950 – 1982; 1985)
• Showdown 83 (1983)
• Showdown 84 (1984)
• NBA Finals (1986 – present)

The Minneapolis Lakers dominated the early years of the NBA Finals with five championship victories in six years from 1949 – 1954 with their team headlined by NBA great George Mikan.

During 13 seasons (1956/57 – 1968/69) the Boston Celtics were the NBA team to beat with an 11 -1 domination of the NBA Finals results, including eight straight victories from 1959-66. As such the years from 1957-69 have been donned the “Celtics Dynasty”. This period in NBA history also saw the rise to fame of the legendary Bill Russell who, as a player, enjoyed 11 NBA Championship wins and was awarded the NBA Most Valuable Player five times.

The 1980s were best known in NBA Finals history for the fierce rivalry between the Lakers led by Magic Johnson and the Celtics whose line-up included now NBA President of the Indiana Pacers Larry Bird.

Michael Jordan will forever be one of the most recognised names in basketball and he led the Chicago Bulls’ domination in NBA Finals during the 1990s. After the “Rule of the Bulls” as the era has been dubbed that also featured the infamous Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, the Lakers and Spurs’ were the next to stop winning a combined 11 of the 12 Western Conference NBA titles and nine NBA Championships from 1999-2010.

NBA Finals these days are all about LeBron James who, up to 2015/16, has won three NBA Finals series. James currently plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers who he has been with since 2014 and who won their first ever NBA Championship in franchise history thanks to his leadership in 2016.

NBA Finals Records

Team NBA Finals Records

• Most Finals Appearances: 31 – Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers
• Most Finals Wins: 17 – Boston Celtics / Lost Angeles Lakers
• Most Common Rivalry: 12 times – Boston Celtics (9) vs. Los Angeles Lakers (3)

Player NBA Finals Records

• Most Years Played in Finals: Bill Russell (12)
• Most Finals Games Played: Bill Russell (70)
• Most Finals Points in Career: Jerry West (1,679)

Recent NBA Championship Winners