Finally, Denver wins 1st NBA title

DENVER, CO - JUNE 12: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets is presented with the Bill Russell Finals MVP Trophy after Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals on June 12, 2023 at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images/AFP (Photo by JOE MURPHY / NBAE / Getty Images / Getty Images via AFP)
The Denver Nuggets sealed their first title in franchise history on Monday (Tuesday in Manila), defeating the Miami Heat, 94-89, to end a 47-season wait for a maiden National Basketball Association championship.
Nikola Jokic scored 28 points with 16 rebounds as the Nuggets won the best-of-seven NBA Finals, 4-1, to bring the Mile High City an NBA crown as a sellout crowd roared in delight and pondered what more the young squad could achieve.
"I've got news for everybody out there. We're not satisfied with one," Nuggets coach Michael Malone said afterwards.
"We want more."
The championship filled the final gap in the impressive resume of Serbian star Jokic, a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player and five-time All-Star center in his eighth NBA campaign.
Two days after countryman Novak Djokovic won the French Open for his record 23rd Grand Slam tennis crown, Jokic was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
"For us he's the best ever, of course," Jokic said of Djokovic.
"Now, we have our NBA championship. It's a really good moment to be a Serbian."
Jokic delivered on a night when the team struggled with early shooting futility but blanked Miami for more than five minutes of the fourth quarter.
"It was amazing effort by the team," Jokic said.
"It was an ugly game. We couldn't make shots. But at the end we figured it out, how to defend and we scored 90 points. That's why we won. I'm just happy we won the game."
"It's good. The job is done and we can go home now."
Michael Porter Jr. added 16 points and 13 rebounds and Jamal Murray added 14 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Nuggets.
"We had the belief from the get-go," Murray said.
