On Monday night, the Denver Nuggets came back from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat the Miami Heat, 94-89, and earn the franchise’s first NBA title.
As usual with this iteration of the Nuggets, superstar center Nikola Jokic was at the heart of it all — he wrapped up Game 5 with 28 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, and one block. As a result, Jokic earned Finals MVP for his sensational efforts this series.
Shortly after the game, Jokic spoke with ESPN’s Lisa Salters, who asked him how it feels to be an NBA champion. Jokic, deadpanned and sincere, responded in quintessential Jokic fashion.
“It’s good, it’s good,” he said. “The job is done, we can go home now.”
Nikola Jokic: "The job is done, we can go home now" pic.twitter.com/fQVku1Uzy7
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 13, 2023
Jokic is a brilliant basketball player. Not only he is the league’s best player, but he’s already among the all-time greats. Despite that, Jokic often seems to consider this sport is a hobby he happens to excel at during media appearances. His disposition minutes removed from notching the NBA’s crowning achievement is yet another example of that.
Denver and Jokic have now put a bow on a dominant season, capped off by an otherworldly playoff run. They led the West almost the entire year, rampaged through the conference to make the Finals and went 16-4 in the postseason. And now, Jokic is simply ready to go home. The job is done.
