DENVER — Fans tuning in to watch the Denver Nuggets take on the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals may have noticed the number "5280" -- or, if you read it upside down, "0825," written on the hardwood of the Nuggets' home court at Ball Arena.
The meaning of the number is simple -- it's the number of feet in a mile, and Denver is famously nicknamed the "Mile High City" for its elevation. At 5,280 feet, it's the highest of any NBA city.
One of the Nuggets' uniform designs also pays homage to the elevation, reading "MILE HIGH CITY." The blue and gold "Statement Edition" uniform debuted for the 2018-19 season and was given a refresh before this season.
There's even a sign that greets visiting teams entering Ball Arena listing the elevation. Before games, the stadium announcer proclaims the challenges of playing at altitude.
The Nuggets aren't the only Denver sports team to make note of the city's elevated status. At Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies, the seats are green -- except a row of purple seats near the top of the stands at exactly 5,280 feet, known to fans as the Purple Row.
The Denver Broncos' home stadium is named Empower Field at Mile High, paying homage to the iconic Mile High Stadium, where the team played for decades before it was closed in 2001.
Some say the Nuggets' home elevation gives them an advantage in these playoffs. Joking around before the start of the NBA Finals, Charles Barkley and Grant Hill took hits from oxygen masks they brought onto the set for a pregame TV show.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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