Two-time MVP, Nikola Jokic had game-highs in points and rebounds, with 28 and 16, respectively, and the No.1 seed Denver Nuggets overcame two 10-point deficits in the second & third quarters to defeat the No.8 seed Miami Heat 94-89 in game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals at home on Monday, June 12, winning the series 4-1 and securing the franchise’s first ever NBA Finals championship.
Jokic, who became the first player in NBA history to lead a postseason in points, rebounds and assists, was named Finals MVP. “Said Jokic afterwards, “the job is done. We can go home now.”Denver shot an abysmal 1-15 from behind the arch in the first-half and trailed by 7 at intermission. In the second-half, Denver outscored Miami 50-38, with Jokic scoring 19 of his 28 in the frame.
Denver head coach, Michael Malone, on his team overcoming its first-half offensive woes “throughout the game, if your offense is not working and your shots are not falling, you have to dig in on the defensive end.”
Jimmy Butler led Miami with 21 points, scoring 13 of them in the 4th quarter, but committed a crucial turnover with 27.1 seconds left to play and the Heat trailing 90-89, resulting in a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope steal, which he converted into two successful free-throws for Denver. Miami’s head coach Eric Spoelstra said the team battled and was quick to give Denver credit. “”There’s no regret on our end. Sometimes you get beat and Denver was the better team in this series. I don’t know how long it would take me to go through the autopsy of this final game, but it will probably rank as our hardest, competitive, most active defensive game of the season, and it still fell short.”
Denver will celebrate the franchise’s first title with a parade on Thursday, June 15.
Sports Editor Andrew Rosario contributed to this article.
