By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The player with the most points and rebounds in championship-clinching Game 5, Nikola Jokic received the Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award for his brilliant displays throughout the best-of-seven series between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat. Following in the footsteps of Tony Parker in 2007, Dirk Nowitzki in 2011, and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2021, he emerged as the fourth European Finals MVP.
After Monday’s game in Ball Arena, he commented on more players from Europe possibly taking over the NBA Finals in the future. The Joker did not drop specific names but fully expects more of the same.
“We have an impact on things, but Americans are the majority of the league, and they’re supposed to be because they are,” the Serbian point center painted the current picture of the NBA, “I think there are some European players and there will be some European players contributing to win and giving that edge to the good teams to win a championship.”
Jokic, 28, tallied 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 0.8 steals per contest in his first Finals showings.
“Something different about this team”
Rewinding to the start of the preseason, the leading player of the Nuggets recalled the unparalleled feeling around the team getting ready for the 2022-23 season.
“Since day one in San Diego, it was something different about this team. I felt it,” said Jokic, “I felt some different energy and every day since then I had the same feeling. I’m not really optimistic guy, but that gave me hope that we can do something.”
Difficult to top, the achievement was winning the NBA championship for the first time in franchise history.
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