2023 NBA Finals - Odds, picks, betting tips for Heat-Nuggets Game 2 - ESPN

ESPN's fantasy basketball and basketball betting tips cheat sheet is your pregame destination for basketball betting predictions and our best intel and data, featuring ESPN's proprietary Basketball Power Index (BPI) to help you make smart fantasy and wagering decisions. NBA game odds for Game 2 are provided by Caesars Sportsbook.

The Denver Nuggets looked cohesive and calm in drubbing the Miami Heat in the opening game of the NBA Finals. It must be discouraging for Miami that they held Denver to a fairly modest offensive rating (around 111) and yet still seemed overwhelmed by the Nuggets' offensive firepower. The odds position Denver as sizable favorites for Game 2, while the series odds have dramatically shifted to Denver on most books, offering an implied probability for the series nearing 90%.

When it comes to the player pool for DFS contests and prop plays, I continue to believe Bam Adebayo is in a plus spot to produce big numbers. Denver seemed to be content to see Anthony Davis consume tons of possessions as an offensive engine for the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals while focusing on perimeter defense. A similar approach from Denver developed in Game 1, emboldening Adebayo's bid for another robust double-double. For Denver, my model likes Michael Porter Jr.'s potential to ascend as an offensive force in Game 2, especially as his shooting and scoring props appear achievable.

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Before we get too swept into assuming a short series, the Heat have won nine games as underdogs during their inspired playoff run. A late rally in Game 1 saw Miami even come close to