Nikola Jokic had a very busy day on Tuesday. He won the NBA Championship but lost the Finals MVP trophy.
The Denver Nuggets star averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, 58.3% field goal percentage, and 58.3% shooting percentage in a legendary playoff finish with a Game 5 win in the NBA Finals. Recorded 42.1% and won the honor of the final MVP unanimously. 3-point shot against the Miami Heat.
As you can imagine, the Nuggets’ locker room after the game was a spectacle of jubilation. Jokic drew laughter from the internet for being so calm during the trial, but apparently he was having so much fun that he lost sight of something very important.
Ash I told ESPN’s Marika Andrews.left the Finals MVP trophy in the room of longtime Nuggets equipment manager Sparky Gonzalez. As he explains below at 1:39, when he came back the trophy was gone.
questions and answers:
Andrews: “Just so you know, I’ve been interviewed for Finals MVP a few times. You’re the first to come to an interview without a trophy. Where’s that?”
Jokic: “I really don’t know. I left it in Sparky’s room and it’s gone. So I don’t know, but I hope it gets home.”
Like many aspects of the Nuggets’ season, this story, fortunately, has a happy ending. Andrews then reported that Gonzalez was in possession of the trophy and will be ready for Thursday’s Nuggets victory parade.
Unsurprisingly, Jokic showed none of Gollum’s dedication to the Finals MVP trophy during the post-game ceremony. As many have noticed, Nuggets guard Bruce Brown had the trophy onstage at one point because Jokic left it there when he went to visit his family. .
Trophy find or not, Jokic has a clear understanding of what his priorities are, a fact evident throughout the Nuggets’ run to the playoffs. That’s still true now that the season is over, as evidenced by the fact that he’s understandably worried whether he’ll be able to return to his native Serbia in time for Sunday’s race.
