The Denver Nuggets now know who they will face in the franchise’s first ever NBA Finals, thanks to Miami shellacking Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday.
Now, the Michael Malone-coached club will tip off its first finals at Ball Arena on Thursday, with another home game Sunday.
Oddsmakers at DraftKings Colorado have the Nuggets listed as an 8.5-point favorite in Game 1 with a -360 moneyline.
With the Nuggets coming off the franchise’s first playoff sweep against the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, BetColorado.com wanted to see how teams that have swept opponents since 2019 have fared in their next playoff series.
NBA Playoff Sweeps Since 2019
Teams Have Mixed Success After Sweeps
Colorado sports betting sites list Denver as a -400 series favorite (to Miami’s +300). Although the odds are one-sided, it’s not easy keeping the momentum of a playoff sweep.
Of the 10 NBA teams that have pulled off a playoff sweep since 2019, six went on to win the following postseason series.
The four that fell after pulling off a playoff sweep were the 2019 Golden State Warriors (losing to Cleveland in the NBA Finals), the 2019 Celtics (who lost to Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference semifinals), the 2020 Toronto Raptors (who lost to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals) and the 2023 Philadelphia 76ers (who lost to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals).
The 2021 Bucks team that beat Phoenix in the NBA Finals needed seven games to win its second round series against Brooklyn after an opening-round sweep. Brooklyn opened that series with a Game 1 win — perhaps a hint for those looking to bet on this year’s Finals using Colorado sportsbook promos.
Teams who notched a sweep in an NBA playoff series in the last five years are 5-5 in Game 1 of their next series.
The Nuggets hope to have an easier time than that hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy after their Western Conference Finals sweep of the L.A. Lakers.
