After coming off a dominant run in the Western Conference, Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic continued his utter brilliance against the Cinderella darlings in the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the NBA Finals (the franchise’s first-ever). The Joker recorded the first triple-double in a Finals debut (27-10-14) since Jason Kidd in 2002 as a member of the New Jersey Nets.
Add in a block and a steal, and you have a terrific all-around performance from the two-time MVP. He was playing as a quarterback early on in the first half not really looking for his shot, scoring four points in just the opening quarter to start. Despite that, he was doing what he does best which is to make the game easier and more free-flowing for everyone around him, drawing double teams at the high post and finding open cutters and shooters whether that is swiss-army knife Aaron Gordon, sharpshooting big Michael Porter Jr, or his main pick-and-roll partner Jamal Murray.
So after an impressive Game 1 that saw him be a +14 while on the floor, as they now take a 1-0 series lead against the Heat with Game 2 set to be played in Denver on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, what would a championship mean for Jokic? Especially considering this would be the first in the franchise’s history.