The Denver Nuggets defeated all odds to win their first-ever NBA Championship. Nikola Jokic and his teammates celebrated the win with the entire city of Denver as most of the experts simply did not give them their due when they came to the postseason as the toppers of the Western Conference. Only a few thought them to be contenders for the title.
Despite all the odds, Jokic and his teammates made it sure that they secure the 2023 NBA Championship by beating the Miami Heat in the finals across five games. It was a very dominant display from the Nuggets from start to finish.
Jokic led the franchise really well throughout the season and especially throughout the final series. He ended the season on a high by winning the Finals MVP. However, he was humble enough for giving credit to his teammates who accepted him as who he was and that helped him grow as a player.
He was interviewed by ESPN after winning the Finals MVP, where he expressed his gratitude towards the city of Denver for accepting the fat kid from Serbia. “They [Nuggets} believed in the fat boy. It seems like it worked out.” Jokic said. “Don’t bet against a fat boy.”
Jokic silenced almost all of his doubters when he won the title with the Nuggets. He has now become an all-time great for Denver. He finished the NBA Finals averaging 30.2 points , 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists.
Following their win over the Heat, many NBA fanatics are praising Jokic. Many of them feel that he is the most skilled big man that NBA has seen. However, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith does not echo the same emotions as some NBA fans. He on his most recent episode of First Take shared his thoughts on the big man debate and his pick was not the Serb.
Discussing if Jokic is the most skilled big man, Smith replied, “Statistically, I think that there is no doubt, you look at his numbers I can’t refute that. People are looking at his shooting ability, obviously that plays a significant factor. Shooting from the perimeter, shooting free-throws.”
However, Smith decided to select Shaquille O’Neal as his pick for the most skilled big man. Shaq in his prime was a menace and therefore he picks him over Jokic. “My preference when I think about a big man, I think about Shaq [O’Neal] in his prime, that’s just me. So, for me, when I think about Jokic and I look at him, I know he’s effective in terms of his post-game, but I also look at the level of competition that he’s been going against… Me personally, I’m a Shaq guy,” he concluded.
Regardless of the opinions, many people believe that Jokic is truly an epitome of a modern center. Some feel he is way more well-rounded than Shaq.
