(CNN) — The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship Monday night, downing the Miami Heat 94-89 at Ball Arena in Denver to take Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
This story was first published on CNN.com, “Denver Nuggets wrap up first NBA title with win over Miami Heat“
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokić led the way for the Nuggets with a game-high 28 points and 16 rebounds.
“It was an amazing effort by the team,” he told ABC after the game. “It was an ugly game. We couldn’t make shots but at the end, we figured out how to defend.”
Denver’s Michael Porter Jr. had 16 points and 13 boards and Jamal Murray chipped in 14 points.
Jimmy Butler had 21 points and Bam Adebayo had 20 to lead Miami, which as an eight-seed had surprised the NBA by advancing to the Finals.
The Serbian big man was voted Most Valuable Player of the NBA Finals.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone said,”Nikola Jokić is a great person. He’s a great husband, father and son and brother. And on the basketball court he has proven time and time again that he’s the best player in the NBA. He’s our MVP, we love him and we’re thankful that he’s wearing a Nuggets’ uniform.”
Denver struggled from the free throw and 3-point lines but only trailed by one point, 89-88, with 1:58 left in the contest.
They scored the game’s final six points with Bruce Brown knocking in a putback layup with 91 seconds left, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brown hitting free throws as the final minute played out. Miami couldn’t connect as Heat players tried several 3-pointers.
The Nuggets were victorious despite being 5-for-28 on 3’s and 13-23 at the free throw line.
The Nuggets, who played in the American Basketball Association for nine seasons beginning in 1967, joined the NBA before the 1976-1977 season.
