[1/3] Jun 4, 2023; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) in the second quarter in game two of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY SportsJune 6 (Reuters) - Underdog Miami's chances of overcoming the odds and beating the favored Nuggets will hinge on big man Bam Adebayo's success in containing dynamic Denver center Nikola Jokic, his teammates said on Tuesday.
"Bam has been playing incredibly well this entire playoffs, for sure this series, and this one he got the toughest matchup by far on the defensive side of the ball," Heat forward Jimmy Butler told reporters on Tuesday.
"Like I said, he's going to be the reason why we win a championship."
"Everybody thinks basketball is always supposed to be pretty, it's supposed to be fluid," he said.
Persons:
Nikola Jokic, Bam Adebayo, Isaiah J, Downing, Bam, Jimmy Butler, he's, Adebayo, Jokic, Rory Carroll, Shri Navaratnam
Organizations:
Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, Ball, USA, Heat, Eastern, Knicks, Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Thomson
Locations:
Denver, USA, Miami, Los Angeles