Nikola Jokic kept it real after leading the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.
Jokic and the Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 4 of their Western Conference Finals series on Monday to finish off the 4-0 sweep. It was Jokic who made big basket after big basket for Denver down the stretch, sinking a deflating end-of-shot-clock three with less than three minutes left and then hitting a go-ahead layup at the 51-second mark to put the Nuggets up for good.
Having finished with a triple-double on Monday, his third one of the series against the Lakers, Jokic was named Magic Johnson Western Conference Finals MVP. ESPN’s Lisa Salters then went on to ask Jokic about what the trophy meant to him.
“For me to be honest, nothing,” Jokic savagely replied.
The star center explained his reasoning.
“This trophy is supposed to go to my teammates and coaches,” Jokic said. “They put me in this situation. I’m just first among the equals, and I’m just happy that we are collectively getting wins and getting to make something.”
You can see the moment below (at the 2:55 mark).
That is absolutely the right kind of mindset from Jokic. He has achieved all sorts of individual glory by now (as a two-time NBA MVP) but knows that it means nothing if you do not achieve the ultimate goal of winning a title with your team. Now the Nuggets have put themselves in a position to do just that and will await the winner of the Miami Heat-Boston Celtics Eastern Conference Finals series.
Jokic has always been a pretty humble guy who doesn’t feel the need to talk trash, even after a Western Conference title. After all, his older brothers do just about enough of that for him.
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