The Denver Nuggets on Tuesday beat the Miami Heat and won the unprecedented NBA title.
Playing in front of their fans, the Colorado team won by 94 to 89. Thus, the Nuggets closed the match at four to one.
Nikola Jokic was crowned at the end of the historic match. Moreover to being champion, the Serbian star took home the Bill Russell trophy for the most valuable player (MVP) of the NBA Finals.
He is the first center to receive the honour in 21 years. The last one was Shaquille O’Neal, in 2002, for the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the decisive series against the Heat, the Nuggets star averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds and 7.2 assists. In addition, Jokic converted 58.3% of field shots and 42% of three-point balls.
He also became the first athlete in league history to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds and assists.
Two-time NBA MVP, Jokic undeniably becomes the greatest player in Denver franchise history.
“It was an amazing effort by the team. It was an ugly game; we couldn’t make shots. But at the end we figured out how to defend. That’s why we won the game.” Jokic said
His teammate Jamal Murray was also superb: he averaged 21.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 10.0 assists a game in the finals after missing the entire 2021-22 season with a torn ACL.
“It’s long before we made it here that I thought this was going to happen. I had a belief of being in the playoffs before, having the experience.” Murray said.
“Seeing the team and the chemistry grow, having the same core my whole career, that’s when I saw it. That’s when I believed it.” he added.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone referenced Miami Heat President and former coach Pat Riley after the win, saying he kept a quote from him on the wall about.
“The evolution in this game, and how you go from a nobody to an upstart, and an upstart to a winner, and a winner to a contender, and a contender to a champion and the last step after a champion is to be a dynasty, so we’re not satisfied.” Malone said.
