Nikola Jokić led the Denver Nuggets to the first NBA championship in the club's history, closing out the Miami Heat 94-89 in Game 5 to take the Finals 4-1. He was named the Bill Russell Finals MVP.
An ugly night decided in the final two minutes
The clinching game, played at Ball Arena in Denver, was a struggle to watch. Denver missed 20 of its first 22 three-point attempts and shot 6.7% from range in the first half, the worst first-half mark in Finals history. Somehow they trailed by only seven.
Miami's Jimmy Butler then scored eight straight to nudge the Heat ahead late. Bruce Brown answered with an offensive rebound and tip-in to give Denver the lead for good. Butler missed a three trailing by three with 15 seconds left, and free throws sealed the title.
A postseason line no player had ever posted
Jokić carried the offence with 28 points and 16 rebounds on 12-for-16 shooting, bailing out teammates who could not find the basket. Across the run he became the first player to lead a single postseason in points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190).
The win ended a 47-season wait for the franchise. Denver joined San Antonio as the second original ABA team to win the NBA's biggest prize, and left the Los Angeles Clippers as the last pre-1980 club never to reach a Finals.
"It was ugly and we couldn't make shots, but at the end we figured it out," Jokić told reporters afterwards. "I am just happy we won the game."
For a player already holding three MVP awards and Olympic medals, the title added the one prize his résumé lacked. The rebounds and assists, not only the points, had finally delivered it.