28 May 2023 , 18:45
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Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is barely keeping an eye on the Eastern Conference NBA Playoff finals, where the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat are locked at 3-3 heading into a deciding Game Seven on Tuesday.
Jokic and the Nuggets reached the NBA finals rather easily, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0. And the 28-year-old two-time NBA MVP averaged 27.75 points across the four games, reinforcing in many minds that he should've won a third MVP award in a row.
In the other conference, Miami have thrown away a 3-0 series lead, with the Celtics forcing the game into a seventh to decide who will meet the Nuggets. And Jokic said he was walking his daughter instead of watching a Heat-Celtics game - but admitted to "lying", saying he watched the first quarter.
Jokic is reported as saying: "I didn’t watch Game Five. I was walking with my daughter. I’m lying. I watched the first quarter.”
In Game Six, it took a Derrick White buzzer-beater to win the game 104-103. "I was just happy," White said. “Season was on the line. We don't want to go home.” The 27-year-old became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination.
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Heat's star man, Jimmy Butler, is confident that his team will seal the series on Boston's court despite blowing a 3-0 series lead. "[That's] basketball for you, basketball at its finest -- very, very, very entertaining," Butler said. "But that's good basketball. "I think, I believe, as we all do, like you're going to get the same test until you pass it, I swear. We were in this same position last year. We can do it. I know that we will do it. We've got to go on the road and win in a very, very, very tough environment."
Boston have forced Miami to a Game Seven decider after coming from 3-0 down in the series (Getty)Heat coach Erik Spoelstra admitted Tuesday's showdown will be difficult, and says his team will have to find a way to beat the 17-time champions. "I don't know how we're going to get this done, but we're going to go out there and get it done," Spoelstra added.
"And that's what the next 48 hours is about. There's been nothing easy about this season for our group, and so we just have to do it the hard way."
The Nuggets and either Miami or Boston will compete in the NBA finals between June 2 and June 18.