Schedule for Nuggets first ring chase is out, here’s when the NBA Finals begin

The Denver Nuggets have never won a championship and now they’ll get their first-ever chance to capture a ring against the Miami Heat… or the Boston Celtics.

The Nuggets will have quite some time before they play again, leading to a lot more rest after what has been a smooth playoff run thus far. The NBA Finals won’t start until late next week.

Miami has made easy work of the East so far, but because the Heat had a rough regular season, Denver will get home-court advantage in the NBA Finals should that be the opponent.

Boston is still alive but needs to do something 150 teams haven’t, come back from 3-0. If the Celtics do it, they’ll get home court against the Nuggets.

But that’s unlikely so here’s this year’s NBA Finals slate for Denver-Miami:

June 1: Game 1, 6:30 p.m. (ABC), Denver
June 4: Game 2, 6 p.m. (ABC), Denver
June 7: Game 3, 6:30 p.m. (ABC), Miami
June 9: Game 4, 6:30 p.m. (ABC), Miami
June 12: Game 5, 6:30 p.m. (ABC), Denver *
June 15: Game 6, 6:30 p.m. (ABC), Miami*
June 18: Game 7, 6 p.m. (ABC), Denver *

The Nuggets have beaten the Heat six-straight times, including twice this season. Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jokic will star for the teams as Erik Spoelstra and Michael Malone call the shots… assuming Boston doesn’t pull off the miracle.

Denver has beaten Minnesota, Phoenix and Los Angeles to get to this point. While Miami played and split two play-in games before pulling an 8-1 upset on Milwaukee, beating New York then on the verge of topping Boston.

Both Denver and Miami have the same record through 14 playoff games, and if the Heat win Tuesday there will be an eight-day lay off.

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