NBA Finals 2023: Denver Nuggets defeat Miami Heat to win championship, Nikola Jokic named MVP

They might not admit it, but there are plenty of people in the basketball world with egg on their face after newly-crowned NBA finals MVP Nikola Jokic led Denver to its first title.

ob done for the Joker and his young daughter. Picture: Getty ImageS)

They called him fat.

They claimed he couldn’t defend.

They said he was boring and couldn’t win in the NBA playoffs.

They denied him the third straight MVP that would have elevated him into rare air.

Let the talking heads say what they want about Nikola Jokic — the best basketballer on the planet is now an NBA champion.

The one honour that had eluded the 28-year-old for so long is now in his keeping after he produced what has become a standard other-worldly performance to defeat the Miami Heat 94-89 and claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy for the first time in Denver Nuggets history.

Add an NBA finals MVP for his 30.2 points, 14 rebounds and 7.2 assists across the series to the 4-1 gentleman’s sweep and you have an all-time NBA great still writing his remarkable story.

“The job is done, we can go home now,” a typically nonchalant Jokic said following the victory.

“We knew they were a great team. Amazing effort by my team. It was an ugly game, we couldn’t make shots but we figured out how to defend and that’s how we won the game.”

Job done for the Joker and his young daughter. Picture: Getty Images

It didn’t come easy. Riding an 18-point, 9-rebound first-half outburst from Bam Adebayo, the plucky Heat owned most of the opening engagements and took a 51-44 lead into the main break.

The Joker found early foul trouble and the Nuggets couldn’t hit the backside of a barn — They shot 1-15 from deep and turned it over 9 times in the first half as the desperate Heat mustered all they could.

Down 64-60 with four minutes to go in the third, Jokic, sensing an opportunity slipping away, did his banana during a time-out, his frustrated gestures displaying a rarely seen visibly anger.

He knew this was never supposed to be an underdog story and the Joker’s jawing had the desired effect.

The Nuggs came out of the time-out hard, taking their first lead since 2.41 in the game and franked that effort into early fireworks — led by Jokic and Jamal Murray, who broke out of his funk at the perfect time.

Jamal Murray holds the Larry O'Brien Trophy, surrounded by his Nuggets teammates. Picture: Getty Images

An egregiously bad referee review marred the fourth quarter and gave the Heat another sniff when Butler, who had struggled until that point, was awarded three shots for booting Aaron Gordon in the groin area.

Butler had just eight points half way through the fourth, but he followed up back-to-back threes with a third deep try that resulted in a whistle.

What should have been an astute coach’s challenge from Malone revealed Butler initiated the contact by kicking his legs out.

AARON GORDON WAS CALLED FOR A FOUL DESPITE JIMMY BUTLER KICK OUT IN THE GROIN REGION#NBAFinalspic.twitter.com/ruj3lbjKSf

— The Colosseum - Solana's Sports Betting Platform (@Colosseum_so) June 13, 2023

That did not sway the review, the referees sticking with the decision, much to the surprise of former NBA veteran Mark Jackson on the call — and plenty of fans on social media, fuelling the long-held conspiracy theory the league actively uses its referees to decide results.

“I totally disagree, that right leg kicking out is not a natural move on that jump shot.

Fellow commentator and former NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy added: “It’s just wrong. I just don’t know what Aaron Gordon is supposed to do when a guy kicks you?”

Jimmy Butler’s heroics came too late for the Heat. Picture: Getty Images

Butler made all three free throws, drained a pull up jumper and then hit two more freebies to take back the lead, 89-88 with a tick under two minutes to go — part of an individual 13-point run.

But the Nuggets composed, then held their nerve down the stretch, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, then Bruce Brown draining their free throws as Butler missed a pair of treys, cuing the wild celebrations in Denver.

Sublime Jokic was at his peerless best, pouring in 28 points on a hyper-efficient 12-of-16 shooting to go with 16 rebounds and four assists, while Michael Porter Jr had 16 points and 14 boards and Murray had 14-8-8.

Michael Porter Jr with the big yam on the Heat. Picture: Getty Images

MPJ STEPS UP FOR STRUGGLING MURRAY

Murray had been a great foil throughout the playoffs for Jokic, but there were times it felt like the Canadian might shoot the Nuggets out of games.

He’s got the greenest of green lights from Malone and, while he missed all four of his three-point tries and had just four points on 2-of-7 shooting with three turnovers at the long break, his mate Michael Porter Jr was there to pick up the slack.

MPJ — whose career might have been ruined by a debilitating back injury that robbed of his early years in the league — copped it from fans and pundits for his struggles in game four.

But he emerged in game five, crashed the glass and took his opportunities to score the ball, excelling as Murray struggled.

The 26-year-old guard then awoke when it counted, scoring five points and dishing out four assists in the tense fourth quarter.

Nuggets star Jamal Murray had his struggles. Picture: Getty Images/AFP

SPARE A THOUGHT FOR THE HEAT

Just the second eighth seed to ever make it all the way to the NBA finals, the Heat overachieved — although Butler and Co won’t see it that way.

A supreme talent with a remarkable backstory that shaped a will to win few possess, Butler led the way for Miami throughout the playoffs — and nearly did it again with his last quarter heroics.

Supported by Adebayo and a rag-tag bunch of second-round and undrafted talent, master coach Erik Spoelstra eked every little bit out of his squad.

But, in the end, they came up against the best player on the best team in the NBA — and there’s no shame in that.

ARISE, SIR JOKER

You’ll never hear the Joker speak about himself but, in winning the finals MVP and leading his side to the title, he became the first player to lead the NBA playoffs in points (600) rebounds (269) and assists (190).

Malone gushed when asked about his superstar.

Nikola Jokic won the battle and the war with Bam Adebayo. Picture: Getty Images

“Nikola Jokic is 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 is the best player in the NBA,” Malone said.

“He’s our MVP, we love him and we’re thankful he’s wearing a Nuggets uniform.”

The chubby Serbian kid with an array of meme-famous photos from his childhood is now a svelte, fit 211cm basketball monster with the NBA world at his feet. There’s never been a centre like him. About the only thing he can’t do is jump out of the gym.

“Put the Joker in pick n rolls, he’ll get murdered”. It didn’t work for Minnesota, Phoenix or LA — and it didn’t work for Miami either.

Jokic isn’t a rim protector, but he’s so intelligent with his reads and positioning, has a huge wingspan and huge, clean hands — don’t listen to the Joel Embiid-4-MVP mob saying he can’t defend. He has his flaws — as do most — but, the fact is, the effort he’s put in on the defensive end in the playoffs are part of the reason why the Nuggets made history.

Oh, and if you think an unselfish big guy who passes it like Magic, shoots it like Steph and has the footwork of Marc Gasol is boring, then maybe you should pick another sport to follow.

Originally published as NBA Finals 2023: Denver Nuggets defeat Miami Heat to win championship, Nikola Jokic named MVP