“Man, we’ve definitely had moments in this run where people thought we couldn’t do it,” center Bam Adebayo said. “People thought we weren’t going to make this, weren’t going to do that.
“You know, when you’ve got the trust in your 15, the coaching staff and whoever is getting on that plane with you, when everybody believes and has a trust, I feel like you can do anything.”
Doubt, Jimmy Butler said, at your own risk.
“We could be down, people can think that we’re out, and all of a sudden we’re right back in this thing and it’s because we do the same thing every day,” Butler said of his teammates. “We love being around each other. We want to see each other succeed. We really do enjoy when each other play well, and we’re going to continue to do that, never going to get rattled, and we’re going to see where we end up.”
So even with starting shooting guard Tyler Herro sidelined by a broken right hand for all but the first half of the playoff opener, even with the lowest regular-season scoring average, even with a rotation that goes from small to smaller … still standing.
“I just think it’s set up for great competition,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat the first No. 8 seed to make it to the finals after an uninterrupted season, coming off a 44-38 regular season. “This is what you want. You want the greatest challenges in this league.
“It is so tough to go through the gauntlet. Not only just a regular season, 82 games, five and a half months, but then to go through the gauntlet of three seven-game series just to get to this point. You’re just really grateful for these kind of opportunities.”
To guard Duncan Robinson the feeling inside the locker room is the right team at the right time.
“I think we have a connection and a competitive spirit, especially lately, just throughout the midst of this run,” he said. “I think it’s kind of all coming together at the right time. Those two things alone can really, really carry you.”
So Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks and Boston Celtics down, best-in-the-west Nuggets, by playoff seed and playoff performance, up next.
“I think just getting our foot in the door. I think that was the biggest thing for us,” forward Caleb Martin said. “We just knew we had a gear, and once we got into the playoffs, it was kind of a relief. Now we could just focus on playing. We just knew we liked our chances pretty much with anybody, knowing that it was the first team to four.
“Once we finally got in, we could take a deep breath, get back to focusing on just playing, and knowing that a team had to beat us four times, and it was going to be tough.”
With confidence that has not wavered.
“I think we just don’t care about what others think,” point guard Kyle Lowry said. “I think we do what we do no matter what. I think we work hard no matter the time, the place, the situation. I think we prepare ourselves, and we’re well-prepared to go into any situation no matter where it is, what time, anything.”
With respect given.
“I think they’re really together through the ups and downs,” Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said. “They’re very resilient. Kind of like us in a sense where we’re very resilient – been together, continuity, chemistry, ball hops, unselfish. They’re more of a gritty defensive team throughout the season, and we’re more of an offensive powerhouse throughout the season.
“I think it’s going to be a fun series.”
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jimmy Butler (22) of the Miami Heat, right, tries an underhand half-court shot during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. Kevin Love (42) of the Miami Heat, left, stands next to Butler. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jimmy Butler (22) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Caleb Martin (16) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Kevin Love (42) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Nikola Jovic (5) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Duncan Robinson (55) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Caleb Martin (16) of the Miami Heat sets up for an interview at the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: The Denver Nuggets during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jimmy Butler (22) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Kyle Lowry (7) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Orlando Robinson (25) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Nikola Jovic (5) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Nikola Jovic (5) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jimmy Butler (22) of the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Miami Heat play the Denver Nuggets in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets, right, grabs Bruce Brown (11) at the start of practice during the NBA Finals media day at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Jamal Murray (27) of the Denver Nuggets talks with head coach Michael Malone during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - MAY 31: Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets during the NBA Finals media day practice at Ball Arena May 31, 2023. The Denver Nuggets play the Miami Heat in game one of the NBA Finals Thursday evening. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)