Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are just one win away from making history. The Nuggets lead the NBA Finals 3-1 against the Miami Heat and can win the franchise’s first-ever NBA championship on Monday. If that happens, there is a very good chance that Nikola Jokic will be named the Finals MVP. So, it felt only right for NBA legend Shaquille O?Neal to reminisce about an honor he’s held for over 20 years.
With the way Nikola Jokic has performed throughout the playoffs, there is little doubt that he’ll be named the unanimous Finals MVP. The Joker has been averaging 30.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 8 assists per game in the Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal living the last of his glory days
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One could argue that the Nuggets’ star center Nikola Jokic was snubbed from winning his third consecutive MVP award. This year the award went to Philadelphia 76ers star, Joel Embiid who got knocked out of the playoff in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
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With Jokic on the verge of winning the title and being named the Finals MVP, Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O?Neal decided to highlight the last time a player from each position won the Finals MVP. Shaq shared a post on his Instagram stories that?stated that the last time a center won the Finals MVP award was in 2002. And it was none other than The Big Aristotle himself. Shaq won the Finals MVP in all three of the Lakers’ titles from 2000-02.
O’Neal averaged 36.3 points, 12,3 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in the Finals in 2002 when he was named the Finals MVP. Considering Jokic is also producing a similar stat line this year, it seems inevitable that the Serbian international will become the first center since Shaq to be named the Finals MVP.
Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are on their way to making history
Given how Nikola Jokic has played not just in the NBA Finals but throughout the playoffs, it leaves no doubt in anyone?s mind that the 28-year-old is deserving of every accolade that’ll come his way. In Game 1 of the Finals, he became the second player in NBA history to record a triple-double in their Finals debut.
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Nikola Jokic becomes the 2nd player to record a triple-double in their Finals debut, joining Jason Kidd.
Kidd: 23 PTS, 10 REB, 10 AST on 6/5/2002
Jokic: 27 PTS, 14 AST, 10 REB in Game 1 pic.twitter.com/ZqqsfmKtoQ
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) June 2, 2023
Not only that, but after his Game 3 performance, Jokic became the first player to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in a Finals game. With the Nuggets one game away from winning it all, will Jokic and the rest of the Denver roster be able to finish these Finals in five games? Or will Miami pull something out of their bag to make a comeback?
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Let us know what you think in the comments section below.