The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship after defeating the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 at Ball Arena in Denver on Monday night.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokić led the Nuggets with a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds, with Michael Porter Jr. adding 16 points and 13 boards, and Jamal Murray scoring 14 points; while the Heat’s Jimmy Butler had 21 points and Bam Adebayo had 20 to lead Miami.
The 28-year-old Jokić was voted Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals, and is the first center to win the award since Shaquille O’Neal of the Lakers did so in 2002. The Serbian told reporters after the game: “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. Jokić posted 10 total triple-doubles, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the most all-time in a single playoff run. He also finished the postseason as the first player in NBA history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists in a single postseason.
Following the Game 5 victory, Nuggets coach Michael Malone hailed Jokić as “a great person … He’s a great husband, father and son and brother. And on the basketball court he has proven time and time again that he’s the best player in the NBA. He’s our MVP, we love him and we’re thankful that he’s wearing a Nuggets’ uniform. Malone added: “All the hard work, all the sacrifice, all the dedication, all culminated with us winning a championship. But I got news for everybody out there: We’re not satisfied with one. We want more. We want more.”
The city of Denver will hold a parade and celebration in honor of the Nuggets championship title on Thursday.
Editorial credit: Envita Studio / Shutterstock.com