A masterful season for Nikola Jokić ended in triumphant celebration Monday night as the Nuggets toppled the Heat, 94–89, in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to clinch a 4–1 series win and the franchise’s first-ever championship.
After notching his latest standout effort of the postseason, Jokić added another accolade to his resumé as the two-time MVP was named the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player. The star center finished Denver’s closeout win with a game-high 28 points on 12-of-16 shooting from the field to go with 16 rebounds and four assists in 42 minutes.
Throughout the series, Jokić, once again, displayed his imposing all-around game against Miami, finishing with averages of 30.2 PPG, 14 RPG and 7.2 APG on 55/46/80% shooting splits.
The 2023 NBA Finals MVP 🃏
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 13, 2023
(via @NBATV)pic.twitter.com/sidL76hSm6
In addition to the new hardware, Jokić, who scored 10 fourth-quarter points to help put Miami away, also stamped his dominant title run as the first player in NBA history to lead the playoffs in total points, rebounds, and assists.
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Following Monday’s victory, Jokić will conclude the postseason with 600 points, 269 rebounds and 190 assists.
With Denver needing one win to end its 47-year championship drought, Jokić and the Nuggets walked into Ball Arena expecting the Heat’s best shot, which is exactly what they got.
A hard-fought first three quarters saw Miami take a 71–70 lead going into the fourth. A furious rally from Heat star Jimmy Butler threatened to extend the Heat’s season, but the Nuggets outscored their opponent, 24–18, thanks, in large part, to Jokić’s efforts in crunchtime.
As the final buzzer sounded, Jokić appeared relieved as Denver celebrated finishing the job, with the Serbian big man, as he so often has, taking a humble approach while speaking on the surreal moment.
“The job is done, we can go home now,” Jokić told ESPN’s Lisa Salters.
Nikola Jokic: "The job is done, we can go home now" pic.twitter.com/fQVku1Uzy7
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 13, 2023
Already considered one of the NBA’s all-time greats, Jokić—the first center to win Finals MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2002—has now cemented his legacy with a ring after defeating titans such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James in the process.
Additionally, Jokić’s feats in the Finals, which included the first-ever 30/20/10 performance, capped a tear where he also set the record for the most playoff triple-doubles (10). The 2023 MVP runner-up finished the playoffs averaging 30 PPG, 13.5 RPG and 9.5 APG.
