Nikola Jokic was the driving force behind the Denver Nuggets winning their first NBA championship in franchise history. The two-time MVP carried the Nuggets to the No. 1 seed in the regular season and helped them tear through the playoffs on the way to the 2023 NBA Finals. The Miami Heat never had a magic solution for solving the Jokic problem towering over the series, and the result was a swift five-game victory for Denver.
Nikola Jokic won NBA Finals MVP while looking like he just wanted to go home
Nikola Jokic won an NBA championship and reacted like he was forced to go to a work party.
Ricky O'Donnell has covered basketball at all levels for more than a decade at SB Nation. He’s currently the Associate Director of Programming.
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There was jubilation throughout Ball Arena in Denver on Monday night as the Nuggets secured the championship with a 94-89 victory in Game 5. Everyone was celebrating ... expect for Jokic. The superstar center made it a point to seek out every member of the Heat for a handshake, and then barely showed any emotion in his post-game interview with ABC.
Jokic ended his interview with an incredible line: “The job is done. We can go home now.”
Later in the press conference, Jokic defended his lack of enthusiasm after the final buzzer by saying “Nobody likes their job. Maybe they do. They’re lying.”
As this was happening, Jokic’s large brothers were tossing head coach Mike Malone in the air like he was a tiny baby. Fans were doing pull-ups on the street lights outside the arena. Everyone was having a blast except for the Finals MVP, who mostly just seemed relieved he could get off from work.
Jokic did not look like he was having any fun in the locker room either. He looked like a guy who was invited to a party he didn’t want to be at.
Jokic seemed like he had no idea what to do with a bottle of champagne. This video of him “celebrating” is priceless.
This championship should cement Jokic as the best player in the world. He was an offensive force against the best competition the league could throw at him. He was damn impressive on defense, helping hold the Heat to under 90 points in a championship elimination game. This should be the crowning moment of his life, but Jokic didn’t seem all that interested in indulging it.
In his post-game press conference, Jokic was visibly crushed to learn Denver’s parade would be on Thursday. “No ... I need to go home,” he said.
After all, Jokic said basketball is not the most important thing in his life, and never would be. He’s mostly just excited to go back to Serbia on his summer vacation and spend time with his horses. Jokic is greatness personified on the basketball court, but when the buzzer sounds, he can’t wait to relax.
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