When the Heat head to Denver for the first two games of the 2023 NBA Finals, they won't just be battling the Nuggets. They will also be fighting the altitude.
Like every other building in Denver, Ball Arena sits 5,280 feet above sea level. The Nuggets have embraced the altitude, placing that number on the court and reminding visiting players that they are in the "Mile High City."
The ones with 5280 printed at the free throw line.
— Zach Capshaw (@zachcapshaw) May 25, 2023
The Nuggets “altitude advantage” in Denver is mostly a mental thing.
Reminding visitors of it every time they shoot free throws can’t hurt. pic.twitter.com/99ck420H2d
What makes the Nuggets' altitude advantage so difficult to overcome? And what have players said about it?
MORE: How Heat made good on Jimmy Butler's 2022 promise
The Nuggets' altitude advantage, explained
The air in Denver is thinner and drier than in a typical NBA city. If you travel to a higher elevation and don't allow your body to adjust to the altitude, you may experience the symptoms of altitude sickness.
Even the best-conditioned players can deal with fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath and sleep problems as they adapt to the altitude. The Nuggets are familiar with the altitude, giving them one of the best home-court advantages in sports.
Multiple studies have shown that Denver's altitude is a very real edge for the Nuggets. During the 2022-23 regular season, they went 34-7 at Ball Arena. That was the second-best mark in the league behind only the Grizzlies.
The Nuggets are also a perfect 8-0 at home in the playoffs.
What have NBA players said about the altitude?
When asked about the altitude ahead of the Western Conference Finals, Lakers forward LeBron James gave a clear answer: "Yeah, it's real."
"You get tired a lot faster than you would if you wasn't in it. ... It's pretty much in the first quarter, a little bit in the second," James said. "The good thing about a playoff series, you're here for a few days, so it's just like when you go from East Coast to West Coast and the time difference.
"It messes your sleep up for a couple of days, but then you get adjusted."
On a recent episode of the "Podcast P" show, Rockets guard Jalen Green and Clippers forward Paul George discussed the challenges of playing in the altitude.
"It's really bad. ... It's just that first five minutes," Green said. "Once you get that first five minutes out of the way, you're good. But, like, that first five minutes is hell."
"It's an advantage, bro," George added. "They have a slight advantage in Denver. ... I'm not gonna say that's the reason why they're good. They're good because they're talented, and they're good. But it has, like, some advantage to it."
(Note: Explicit language in the clip below.)
