The Denver Nuggets beat the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win their first-ever championship on Monday (13 June).
Ending a 47-year wait for Denver, Nikola Jokic was named Finals MVP. He led the way again on this night with 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists.
Jokic averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists for the series with a pair of triple-doubles. He is the first player in NBA history to lead the play-offs in total points, rebounds and assists.
“It’s good, it’s good,” said Jokic, who is the lowest drafted player ever to win the Finals MVP award. “The job is done. We can go home now.
“We are not rooting for ourselves. We’re rooting for the guy next to us. This is a great group of people, a great group of team-mates.
“This group is amazing.”
Miami’s Tyler Herro was cleared to play for the first time since breaking his right hand on 16 April, but did not get in the game.
Not that the Nuggets were lights out. They were 5-of-28 from behind the arc, the third-worst percentage (17.9) by any Finals team, and were 13-of-23 from the line.
But Denver was dominant this post-season, going 16-4 and losing just once at home (Game 2 of the Finals).
Their four play-off losses are the fewest by a champion since the 2017 Golden State Warriors.
It was Michael Porter Jr’s turn to step up for the Nuggets on Monday, scoring 16 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Jamal Murray had 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists in becoming the fourth player in the Finals to average 20 points and 10 assists.
Drenched in champagne, Denver coach Michael Malone was already eyeing more for his team in the seasons to come.
“The last step after a champion is to be a dynasty so we’re not satisfied,” said Malone, who has been in charge since 2015.
“We accomplished something this franchise has never done before but we have young talented players in that locker room, and I think we just showed through 16 play-off wins what we’re capable of on the biggest stage in the world.”
Malone’s opposite number, Erik Spoelstra, tipped his hat to the newly crowned champions.
“There’s no regrets on our end. Sometimes, you just get beat,” Spoelstra said. “Denver was just the better basketball team in this series.”
