The 2022-2023 NBA season is over, thanks to the Denver Nuggets defeating the Miami Heat to win their first championship in franchise history. Here, we explore three fun facts about the 2023 NBA Finals.
1. Nikola Jokic is the player with the least acceleration to win the Finals MVP award
It started at the bottom, and now it’s here 📈
Nikola Jokic becomes the lowest draft pick in NBA history (#41 in 2014) to win the NBA Finals MVP award 🏆 pic.twitter.com/kfvuiZIo78
– ClutchPoints (ClutchPointsApp) June 13, 2023
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was as good as advertised, with an average 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists in the finals. Jokic was named NBA Finals MVP Bill Russell. Jokic becomes the player least drafted in NBA history to win the Finals MVP award. Jokic was drafted 41st overall in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. Jokic is ahead of Dennis Johnson, who previously held the record after winning Finals MVP as the 29th overall pick.
2. Nikola Jokic led the playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists
Jokic is Mr. Do-it-All for the Nuggets, and his efforts have paid off with an NBA championship. Jokic led the Nuggets in points, rebounds, and assists during the postseason. Even more impressive, Jokic led the entire league in points, rebounds, and assists this postseason, becoming the first player in NBA history to achieve this feat. Jokic finished with 600 points, 269 rebounds and 190 assists.
3. Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray have become one of the most effective pairings in Finals history
Jokic is great, but he’s even better alongside fellow racer Jamal Murray. Jokic and Murray make up one of the five best tandems in the NBA. Jokic and Murray combined to average 56.1 points per game in the NBA Finals. That ranks third all-time, behind Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant of the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers, and Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant of the 2017 Golden State Warriors.