Denver Nuggets fans celebrate first NBA title in franchise history
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Denver Nuggets fans cheer in the final minute of the fourth quarter against the Miami Heat in Game 5 at Ball Arena last night. Photo: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images
Monday night wasn't a dream. The Denver Nuggets won it all for the first time in franchise history.
What happened: Fans spilled out of Ball Arena after the Nuggets' win — cheering at the top of their lungs with chants of "MVP" and "Let's go Nuggets" — on one of the most monumental nights in Mile High City history.
- Fireworks erupted as spontaneous celebrations popped up on downtown's streets, and car horns and sirens echoed across town.
State of celebration: The scene after Game 5 was more than four decades in the making, though Denver police had no plans to grease poles or take any other similar actions to prepare for the aftermath — even though a couple of die-hards might have taken things too far.
- City Hall was also lit up in navy and gold after the game to celebrate the win.
What they're saying: Charlie Beach, a 75-year-old Colorado native, lost his voice in the mayhem but managed to tell Alayna he's "been waiting his whole life" for a win like this. He's proud of the diversity on this team and their humility, he added.
- Ale Correa, who lives outside Denver, drove downtown to attend a watch party outside the arena to experience the moment. He told us the Nuggets "deserved the win."
Another fan, Bill Rooney, who lives in Denver, attended the game with his son, Christian, who flew in from California. He called the win "a huge moment" for the Nuggets, who he said have been overshadowed by the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Broncos.
- As a longtime season ticket holder, he paid just $395 for each ticket compared to Ticketmaster's starting price of $985.
🎉 What's next: Celebration time! The victory parade will be held Thursday starting at 10am at Union Station.
- It will move through downtown along 17th street until reaching Civic Center Park where the rally will take place.
- View the parade route here. More information on the celebration can be found online.
🤩 Our thought bubble: What. A. Season. We couldn't be more proud. Hopefully this incredible win buoys the city enough to make it through the dismal Rockies year and an unpredictable Broncos season.
- But is it too early to be thinking about back-to-back-titles?