After becoming champions, Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray took it all in.
The Denver Nuggets’ talents led the team to its first NBA championship on Monday with a Game 5 victory against the Miami Heat.
Following some on-court celebrations, Jokic continued the party by tossing Murray into a pool:
Jokic throws Jamal Murray into the pool 😭 pic.twitter.com/h75zpzEgHm
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Jokic and Murray have been teammates since 2016, and they have been the Nuggets’ greatest players on the biggest stage. Jokic was voted Finals MVP after averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game over the course of the series, while Murray also averaged a double-double with 21.4 points and 10.0 assists per game.
While the plunge into the pool was entertaining, Jokic’s Finals celebration often appeared to be a chore. Among the highlights were an impersonal champagne blast in the locker room and his disappointment at having to stay in Denver for a championship parade on Thursday rather than returning home.
Murray, on the other side, was visibly moved after completing a hard journey to the NBA Finals. After missing the entire 2021-22 season due to a ruptured ACL, he won his first championship.
“Everybody on this floor believed in me. …believed in me to get back to myself.”
It’s been a journey for Jamal Murray ❤️ pic.twitter.com/N76LVkgBJ1
— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 13, 2023
With one championship under their belts, Jokic and Murray will be looking for another – and potentially another leap into the pool – next season.
