Jamal Murray Jun 12, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) celebrates with the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP Award as guard Jamal Murray (27) holds the Larry O’Brien Trophy after the Nuggets won the 2023 NBA Championship against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
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On June 12th, 2023, something wonderful happened in the world of sports betting for fans of the Denver Nuggets NBA team. For the very first time in their 47-year history, they came out victorious in the NBA Finals. While many Nuggets fans thought they’d live to see the day their home team was crowned NBA champions, this underdog team finally got their well-deserved moment of glory. So, how did the Nuggets go from a team that Denver locals labeled “uncool to like,” to being the reigning NBA champs that defied the odds? Let’s check out their rise to glory…

Brief History of the Denver Nuggets:

The Nuggets have become a favorite among sports bettors eager to predict the latest NBA picks and place wagers on their beloved team’s games. That shouldn’t come as a surprise as many NBA legends have worn the Nuggets jersey and contributed towards its rise to power, including some all-time legends such as:

  • David Thompson
  • Alex English
  • Dikembe Mutombo
  • Carmelo Anthony
  • George Karl

The Nuggets’ story begins in 1967, under the ownership of Californian businessman James Trindle. The franchise was initially meant to be based in Kansas City, but the lack of a suitable arena led the team to relocate to Denver. Funding issues nearly shut them down before they got started, but a large share was sold to a local businessman who officially named the team the Denver Rockets. They enjoyed a fair amount of early success and developed a loyal fan base, but they struggled to make it to the ABA championships. After another change of hands and an anticipated entry into the NBA, the team was renamed the Nuggets in 1974.

2018-2019 Season:

Things started improving for the Nuggets in 2015, when they came under the management of Michael Malone, and current MVP Nikola Jokić began to shine. It was this same year that Jokić received the honor of being selected as a Western Conference reserve for the 2019 NBA All-Star game. There had not been an All-Star Nugget since Carmelo Anthony in 2011, breaking an eight-year dry-spell for the team. The team’s performance significantly shook the odds in the sports betting industry.

The team accumulated 54 victories, finishing the season in 2nd place in the competitive Western Conference. Their exceptional performance led them to compete in the playoffs after a six-year absence, and the bets placed on them started to look very promising. However, the title was once again just out of reach¾despite a victory in the 1st round against the San Antonio Spurs, their hopes of emerging as the champions came to an end when they lost to the Trailblazers in the second round.

2019–2020 Season:

The season that followed was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the NBA selected 22 teams to join a “Covid Bubble” in order to play the final eight games of the season, one of which was the Nuggets. They defeated Utah in a record-breaking game, followed by an equally impressive victory against the Clippers. However, history sadly repeated itself in the final Western Conference game after the Nuggets were defeated by the Los Angeles Lakers.

2020–2021 Season:

Thankfully, the 2020–2021 season, a time when online sports betting skyrocketed, was back in full swing, despite the ongoing pandemic. The Nuggets faced numerous challenges, including a season-ending ACL injury for Jamal Murray. It wasn’t all doom and gloom though. Jokić was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the league, which was a historic moment for two reasons.

  • This was the first time in Nugget history that a player had ever received this accolade
  • A center had not been named MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000

2021–2022 Season:

While fans held out hope their beloved team would rebound after a tough season, the 2021–2022 season proved just as challenging for the Nuggets. The team’s starting forward, Michael Porter Jr, was relegated to the sidelines, with the team’s second season-ending injury in two years. The team’s star players, Jokić and Aaron Gordon, carried the team into the playoffs and, despite giving a great performance, they were eliminated in the first round. The silver lining was yet another MVP title for Jokić, seeing him join the ranks of only 12 players in NBA history to be named MVP back-to-back. We don’t know about you, but that kind of makes up for two seasons fraught with misfortune!

2022–2023 Season:

And that brings us to the season that saw the Denver Nuggets claim victory at long last and make history as NBA champions. Jokić has been largely credited as leading them to victory with not only their first-ever entrance into the NBA finals but their surprise win too. defying the odds and shaking up the sports betting world. As a result, he was once again named both the Western Conference and NBA Finals MVP, paving the way to join the ranks of other NBA legends. Of course, the team as a whole deserves credit, and long-standing supporters can all agree it was a moment of glory they won’t soon forget.