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After leading the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever championship in franchise history, Nikola Jokic was named the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP. There was no doubt that the “Joker” was the best player in the title series and deservedly won the coveted award.
The news that Jokic supposedly lost the Finals MVP trophy sent shockwaves around the basketball community. He reportedly left it in the equipment manager’s room but couldn’t find it when he returned to bring it home.
Fans couldn’t resist reacting to the stunning news:
"Aaron Gordon think he slick"
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The late NBA Commissioner David Stern renamed the Finals MVP to the Bill Russell Trophy in 2009 in honor of the 11-time champion. Nikola Jokic is the 15th winner of the hardware bearing the name of the Boston Celtics legend who passed away last year.
The Denver Nuggets were playing on their home court, the Ball Arena, in Game 5 of the Finals to close out the series against the Miami Heat. Whoever has the trophy likely must have access to the equipment manager’s room.
Nikola Jokic doesn’t seem to care too much about individual awards. But, the Bill Russell NBA Finals Trophy has to mean a lot more. It came with the championship, the first in the Nuggets’ 47-year history, and the trophy’s significance will always be tied to the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
Aaron Gordon celebrates with fans in Denver
Aaron Gordon didn’t just celebrate with his teammates after the Denver Nuggets dispatched the Miami Heat in five games to win the championship. The high-flying dunk artist went out with only half his uniform on to walk outside Ball Arena with excited fans.
Gordon, who played a crucial role in the Nuggets’ championship, casually celebrated with Nuggets fans, who almost couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
While Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray jumped into the team’s pool to enjoy their success, Aaron Gordon took his partying out of the streets. Gordon was likely still in the streets whopping with fans when the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP went missing.
If healthy, Gordon could possibly help the “Joker” win a few more Finals MVPs before the Serbian calls the curtain on his career. They’ve formed a superb frontline partnership since Gordon's arrival in Denver in 2020.
The former Orlando Magic forward still has at least two years left in his contract. He also has a player option heading into the 2025-26 season. Nuggets fans will have the opportunity to see more of “AG” and Jokic trying to add to their championship haul.
