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The matchup for the 2023 NBA Finals is set. The Nuggets and Heat face each other for the first time in the championship series. Now, a lot of fans are wondering what the NBA Finals schedule 2023 will look like since they want to witness the clash between these two historic teams.
Will Denver get their first Larry O’Brien trophy? Or will Miami become the first 8th-seed in NBA history to win a title?
NBA Finals schedule 2023
Game 1 of the NBA Finals is scheduled for Thursday, June 1 at 8:30 p.m. ET. There are at least two days off before every game, except Game 4 which only has one day of rest.
Below are the schedule and tip off times for 2023 NBA Finals. All games will air on ABC.
- Game 1: Nuggets vs. Heat | Thursday, June 1 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 2: Nuggets vs. Heat | Sunday, June 4 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 3: Heat vs. Nuggets | Wednesday, June 7 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 4: Heat vs. Nuggets | Friday, June 9 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
- Game 5: Nuggets vs. Heat | Monday, June 12 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
- Game 6: Heat vs. Nuggets | Thursday, June 15 | 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC) *
- Game 7: Nuggets vs. Heats | Sunday, June 18 | 8 p.m. ET (ABC) *
*if necessary.
As you can see from the NBA Finals schedule 2023, Denver has homecourt advantage since they had the better regular season record (53-29). Miami will need to overcome another tough test since they are facing a Nuggets team who hasn’t lost at home in the postseason.
How to watch the NBA Finals
The 2023 NBA Finals between the Nuggets and Heat will air on main sports channels such as ABC, TNT, ESPN, and NBA TV. Most traditional cable/satellite subscriptions have these channels already. You can also subscribe to streaming services that offer these channels such as:
- Sling
- fuboTV
- YouTube TV
- Hulu + Live TV
- DIRECTV
But perhaps the best way to watch the 2023 NBA Finals is via NBA League Pass. With League Pass, you can watch every postseason game live or on-demand on two devices simultaneously. You will also get a bunch of features such as 24/7 NBA TV coverage, classic games, and original shows.
If you don’t have access to cable and streaming services, there are numerous NBA streaming options available online. Just keep in mind that these streaming options may vary in your country.
NBA Finals preview
The Nuggets completed their sweep of the Lakers and advanced to the 2023 NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. They are led by Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray who have been playing out of their minds this postseason. Jokic, a two-time MVP, is averaging 30 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists on 54% shooting from the field. Meanwhile, Murray is averaging 27.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 48% shooting. Murray has proven himself as a big-time performer in the playoffs and it’s more amazing given that it’s his first season healthy from a torn ACL.
Meanwhile, the Heat continued to surprise everyone by winning the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics in seven games. It wasn’t easy, though. After the Heat won the first three games of the series, the Celtics stormed back and won the next three to force a seventh game at home. But Miami continued to persevere and won game 7 in a flawless fashion.
Most of the credit however should go to Erik Spoelstra for his brilliant coaching throughout the postseason. There’s no doubt that he’s already one of the greatest coaches in NBA history after proving once again that he can take any roster to the NBA Finals. He already has seven Eastern Conference titles and Finals appearances under his belt.
As you can see, this is an interesting matchup between a first seed and the eighth seed. The Nuggets have proven that they are the most complete team this season while the Heat continue to defy the odds. Who knows? These two teams might give us the greatest NBA Finals games of all time.
