:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72327360/1492490130.0.jpg "NBA Finals MVP 2023: Michael Porter Jr. odds, stats, path to award ahead of series")
The 2023 NBA Finals matchup is officially set with the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat facing off in Game 1 on Thursday, June 1. This year's series features some history for both teams. The Nuggets are making their first appearance in the Finals. The Heat are just the second No. 8 to make the last series.
We're going to break down the prominent players in this series on both teams and look at how they'll impact the matchup. Here's a look at Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr.
Michael Porter Jr. 2023 NBA playoffs overview
Postseason stats: 14.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 1.8 APG, 45.5 FG%, 40.8 3P%
Porter Jr. has been Denver's third scoring option throughout these playoffs, sitting behind only Nikola Jokic (29.9 PPG) and Jamal Murray (27.7 PPG). Though Jokic and Murray have shouldered most of the scoring load, Porter Jr. has been a premier threat from deep, ranking second on the team in three-point attempts (6.9) and three-pointers made (2.8). Porter also ranks third among all Nuggets in blocks per game (0.6).
Odds entering NBA Finals (via DraftKings Sportsbook)
Finals MVP: +10000
Scoring leader: +3000
Rebounding leader: +5000
Assists leader: N/A
3PM leader: +380
How Michael Porter Jr. can win Finals MVP
Porter Jr. remains a long shot to win Finals MVP and it shows with his listed odds, but we've seen stranger things happen before. The best comparison arguably has to be the 2015 NBA Finals, in which Andre Iguodala won the hardware despite averaging just 7.8 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 3.0 APG. Iguodala won Finals MVP as a result of being added to the starting lineup, which gave the Golden State Warriors' small-ball starting five a clear advantage en route to beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2.
Porter Jr. will either need to have some type of unquantifiable impact on this series to win the hardware, or he'll need to catapult his scoring average past the likes of Jokic and Murray to be considered as a candidate for Finals MVP.