Denver won its first championship and Nikola Jokic was Finals MVP. He didn't look excited.
“The job is done, we can go home now”
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) June 13, 2023
Jokic treating winning the Finals like a 9-5 pic.twitter.com/ERDubWoA40
Jokic's initial reaction sounded like he had to stay late in his cubicle to finish a batch of TPS reports. Finally work was over!
He could not have been less enthusiastic about the tradition of spraying teammates with champagne, giving his bottle two perfunctory sloshes before walking away.
too funny pic.twitter.com/TI5kbZjGjq
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 13, 2023
Was he excited about going to the championship parade? Not at all. Once he learned he'd have to stay in Denver until Thursday, Jokic looked pained. "No," he said, covering his eyes. "I need to go home."
Nikola Jokic was asked if he was looking forward to a championship parade...
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) June 13, 2023
"No... I need to go home."#NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/QAiu637rux
Jokic seemed briefly excited when a reporter brought up fellow Serbian Novak Djokovic and his record-setting win at the French Open on Sunday. But when he checked his phone to see of Djokovic had texted him, Jokic looked horrified at the amount of congratulatory texts he'd have to wade through.
Jokic went to check if Novak Djokovic texted him congratulations and found out way too many people texted him after the win pic.twitter.com/CwsrFGf57R
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) June 13, 2023
Was this stoic reaction a Serbian thing? A Jokic family thing? No, it's just how Nikola is, as demonstrated by his brother's extremely animated reaction to the big win.
Nikola's brother is really living his best life #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/iVjyopa2w6
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 13, 2023
The giant brothers also celebrated by tossing Nuggets coach Michael Malone into the air like he was a doll.
not to be dramatic but the jokic bros tossing mike malone in the air like a small child may be the funniest thing i've ever seen pic.twitter.com/heYDU6QIpN
— Molly Morrison (@mollyhannahm) June 13, 2023
Jokic eventually got excited, tossing Jamal Murray and his champagne bottle into the pool and jumping in with him. Or maybe he thought it would destroy his phone, and he wouldn't have to deal with all the messages.
Jokic throws Jamal Murray into the pool pic.twitter.com/h75zpzEgHm
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Congratulations to Jokic! We promise, they'll let you go home Thursday night.
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