Nikola Jokić Named 2023 Western Conference Finals MVP as Nuggets Sweep LeBron, Lakers: Nikola Joki has, if he didn’t already, the attention of the basketball community.
The two-time league MVP helped lead the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever NBA Finals appearance on Monday night after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers and was named the Western Conference Finals MVP.
The 28-year-old Joki has been phenomenal for Denver all postseason long, but notably against LeBron James and the Lakers, when he scored 23.3 points per game and added 12.3 rebounds and 9.8 assists.
The Nuggets had lost to the Lakers in the conference finals during the bubble, so this victory was sweet sweet payback. Joki, who is currently looking like the best player on the globe, led them to a commanding victory this time around.
Joki recorded yet another triple-double in the decisive game, this time with 30 points, 14 boards, and 13 dimes. The only game he didn’t have one in was Game 3, when Jamal Murray scored 37 points and led all scorers.
His 34 points, 21 boards, and 14 assists in Game 1 were perhaps the series’ greatest stat line.
Now, in the Finals, Joki will face the greatest test of his career. In the Eastern Conference Finals, Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat are up 3-0 on the Boston Celtics and will try to win the series at home on Tuesday.
The NBA Finals begin June 1 at 8:30 p..m. ET.
Who is Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić is one of the most impressive players in the game today. Standing at 7 feet tall, his height and size give him a huge advantage on the court. His ability to play all five positions and dominate the paint make him an incredibly valuable asset to any team.
Nikola Jokić was born in Sombor, Serbia in 1995 and began playing basketball at an early age for Mega Vizura. After various tournaments with his club teams, he signed with KK Crvena Zvezda in 2012. He quickly made a name for himself as the best young player in Serbia, earning Serbian League MVP honors after leading his team to the championship title.
In 2014, he declared for the NBA Draft and was selected 41st overall by the Denver Nuggets. While most scouts predicted he would remain overseas, Jokić took advantage of his opportunity and became one of the best rookie players that season. In 2015, he was awarded Most Improved Player after nearly triple-doubling his stats from the previous year (14ppg/9rpg/6apg).
Jokić has continued to improve since then and is now considered one of the best centers in basketball today. He averages 21 points per game, 11 rebounds per game, and nearly 8 assists per game – making him only one of five players ever to average over 20 points 10 rebounds and 5 assists each season. On top of that, he is the fastest player ever to reach 3,000 career assists – doing so in only three seasons compared to Magic Johnson’s four seasons when he set this record in 1983.
Jokić’s style of play has also been widely praised throughout the league for its unique combination of fast-paced passing and court vision as well as power moves around the rim. His unselfishness is also legendary as evidenced by his numerous highlight plays that involve no-look passes or spectacular alley-oops fed off a rebound – making him a fan favorite everywhere he goes whether it’s Colorado or Serbia. His infectious smile also draws crowds in wherever he goes!
At 25 years old Nikola Jokić has already become one of basketball’s most decorated players at both domestic and international levels with numerous awards including All-Star appearances (2019), MVP Awards (2018), First Team All-NBA selections (2019), FIBA World Cup gold medalist (2014) and Serbian National Team captaincy (2015). With such accomplishments under his belt already it’s no surprise that many believe that Nikola will go down as one of basketball’s all time greats when it’s all said and done!