The 2023 NBA Finals are underway.
The Miami Heat closed out a nail-biting Eastern Conference finals series against the Boston Celtics with a Game 7 win and face the Denver Nuggets in the championship.
The eighth-seeded Heat are just the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to appear in the Finals. The Denver Nuggets, who are appearing in the Finals for the first time, completed a sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers and will have home-court advantage against the Heat.
All four rounds of the NBA playoffs are a best-of-seven format, as has been the case since 2003. The NBA does not reseed after each round, so the bracket is set at the start of the tournament.
The top six teams in each conference automatically qualified for the playoffs, while the teams that finished the regular season in seventh through 10th places advanced to the NBA's play-in tournament to determine the final two playoff teams in each conference.
The NBA Finals will resume June 7 in Miami, with Game 7 -- should the series go that long -- scheduled for June 18. All NBA Finals games will be available on ABC and the ESPN App.
Note: Series odds provided by Caesars Sportsbook and the ESPN Basketball Power Index (BPI).
RECAPS: Conf. finals | Conf. semis | First round | Play-in
NBA FINALS
Denver Nuggets (1) tied with Miami Heat (8) 1-1
ESPN BPI odds: Denver 80% | Miami 20%
Caesars odds: Denver -270 | Miami +220
Game 1: Nuggets 104, Heat 93
Game 2: Heat 111, Nuggets 108
Game 3: Wednesday at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 4: Friday at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 5: Monday, June 12 at Denver, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 6*: Thursday, June 15 at Miami, 8:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
Game 7*: Sunday, June 18 at Denver, 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
*If necessary
5-on-5: Our insiders dissect the biggest questions ahead of Game 3
Youngmisuk: An invisible advantage is fueling the Nuggets' Finals run
Goldsberry: Six things you need to know for this epic series
Game 2: Heat 111, Nuggets 108
Leaders
Points: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets -- 41 points
Rebounds: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets -- 11 rebounds
Assists: Jamal Murray, Nuggets -- 9 assists
Game 2 box score | Game 2 highlights
The Heat storm back from a 15-point deficit and finish strong in the fourth quarter to win Game 2 and even the series against the Nuggets.
Tweet of the night
This Heat group is one of the most mentally tough teams I've seen in a long time. They just keep finding a way.
— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) June 5, 2023
How Jimmy Butler and the Heat figured things out
From weathering gut-wrenching losses to playing without injured starters to matching up with opposing superstars, this is what Miami has done all postseason, writes Ramona Shelburne.
Game 2 provides the Heat with the NBA's biggest luxury: options
With a victory Sunday night in Denver, the Heat now have more than home-court advantage. They have an opportunity to bring Tyler Herro back when they want, writes Brian Windhorst.
Game 1: Nuggets 104, Heat 93
Leaders
Points: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets -- 27 points
Rebounds: Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets/Bam Adebayo, Heat -- 13 rebounds
Assists: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets -- 13 assists
Game 1 box score | Game 1 highlights
Nikola Jokic's triple-double and Jamal Murray's 26 points overwhelm the Heat as the Nuggets take Game 1 104-93.
Tweet of the night
Joker pointed to his hand after the Nuggets' Game 1 win in the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/HMu3BkZkE0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 2, 2023
Nikola Jokic was in total control of Game 1
The two-time MVP took only three shots in the first half, but was still dominant, helping the Nuggets get whatever they wanted against the Heat, writes Ramona Shelburne.
The yearslong trend the Heat will have to break to beat the Nuggets
Bam Adebayo has been at his All-Star and All-Defensive best against the Nuggets over his career. It has almost never been enough, writes Brian Windhorst.
2023 NBA Finals
Two plays show how dangerous the Nuggets can be
These two possessions reveal so much about Nikola Jokic and Nuggets -- an ethos that will be backbreaking for the Heat to counter. Read Zach Lowe's story »
The car ride that changed the NBA forever
Nikola Jokic will say he never expected to make it to the NBA, much less win two MVP awards. People assume he's just being modest, but then ... Denver's star figured it all out. Read Ramona Shelburne's story »
The schemes, predictions and latest intel that will define the Finals
Do the Heat have any kind of counter for Nikola Jokic? Can the Nuggets merely contain Jimmy Butler and Miami's red-hot shooters? Here's everything you need to know for the 2023 NBA Finals. Read Zach Lowe's preview »
Which championship runs have been the most impressive since Jordan's Bulls?
Kevin Pelton breaks down which teams have earned their championship hardware the most over the last few decades, factoring in statistical performance and level of competition. Read the complete rankings »
Historical NBA Finals coverage
2022: Warriors champions once again
Stephen Curry & Co. returned to the top of the mountain, defeating the Boston Celtics in six games to claim their fourth championship in the past seven seasons.
Complete 2022 NBA Finals coverage
2021: Giannis, Bucks conquer the Suns
Giannis Antetokounmpo's epic Game 6 performance ended the Milwaukee Bucks' 50-year title drought, giving them their second NBA championship with a win over the Phoenix Suns.
Complete 2021 NBA Finals coverage
2020: LeBron, Lakers claim bubble title
The Los Angeles Lakers conquered the NBA's Orlando bubble, defeating the Miami Heat in six games for the 17th championship in franchise history.
Complete 2020 NBA Finals coverage
2019: Kawhi becomes King in the North
For the first time in NBA history, a team outside the United States won the championship, as the Toronto Raptors knocked off the Golden State Warriors in six games.
Complete 2019 NBA Finals coverage
2018: How sweep it is for Warriors
The Golden State Warriors capped off a second consecutive title run by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games.
Complete 2018 NBA Finals coverage
2017: Durant puts Warriors back on top
The Golden State Warriors were nearly perfect in 2017, going 16-1 in the playoffs en route to winning the NBA championship.
Complete 2017 NBA Finals coverage
2016: 'Cleveland, this is for you!'
LeBron James and the Cavaliers ended Cleveland's 52-year title drought by becoming the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals.