By ADRIAN STEWART CO

The Denver Nuggets took home their first-ever NBA title with a 94-89 victory over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado yesterday (Philippine time).

It was not a walk in a park coronation for the Nuggets as they trailed the Heat for most part of the contest before gaining headways in the fourth quarter behind the tandem of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.

Consecutive shots from Jokić and Murray to start the fourth quarter gave the Nuggets their largest lead at 86-79 after a three-pointer from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with over four minutes left.

However, Jimmy Butler brought the Heat back in the game with back-to-back three-pointers followed by three free throws to cut the deficit to 85-86 before taking the lead at 89-88 with a basket and two free throws.

Bruce Brown gave the lead back to the Nuggets at 90-89 with a putback shot with a minute and a half left before it was widened to 92-89 with two free throws from Caldwell-Pope with 24 seconds to go.

Butler still had a chance to send the game into overtime, but missed a three-point attempt with 17 ticks left. Brown then sealed the win and the championship for Denver with two free throws.

Jokić was named as the Bill Russell Finals MVP as he tallied double-double 28 points and 16 rebounds as the Nuggets wrapped up the best-of-seven championship series at 4-1.

Michael Porter, Jr. added double-double 16 points and 13 rebounds, Murray had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Caldwell-Pope and Brown chipped in 11 and 10 markers, respectively.

Butler top-scored for the Heat with 21 points, with 11 coming in the fourth quarter, while Bam Adebayo ended with double-double 20 points and 12 rebounds.

DENVER 94 — Jokić 28, Porter 16, Murray 14, Caldwell-Pope 11, Brown 10, Braun 7, Gordon 4, Green 4, Jordan 0.

MIAMI 89 — Butler 21, Adebayo 20, Strus 12, Lowry 12, Martin 10, Vincent 6, Robinson 5, Love 3, Highsmith 0, Zeller 0.

Quarterscores: 22-24, 44-51, 70-71, 94-89./ASC, WDJ