Nikola Jokic (Denver pivot, 94-89 Miami winner and NBA champion): “I think we played the best basketball. Today, we didn’t take any shots but we defended. Personally, it’s a great adventure. I was drafted 41st but that doesn’t mean anything. Once you’re in the NBA, you’re a player. Miami has players who haven’t even been drafted who have contributed to their success. I’m happy for everyone. Mikey (Michael Porter Jr) had three surgeries and helped us win a title. Jamal (Murray) was also operated. He was not playing well at the start of the season but we all know what he is capable of. Winning the title is a great feeling but as I’ve said in the past, there’s more to life. There are a lot of other things that I like, that I want to do. Sport has always been a priority in Serbia but now we have Djokovic, possibly the best tennis player ever, and an NBA title. It’s nice to be Serbian right now I think. »
Michael Malone (Denver Coach): “No, I haven’t realized yet and I don’t think it will happen tonight because I’m going to drink too much (laughter). These moments are surreal. I arrived in the league 22, 23 years ago and I dreamed of becoming a head coach (head coach), without knowing if I would one day have this opportunity. This is by no means obvious. My dad only got it once (with Toronto in 1995-96, plus an interim at Cleveland in 2005) and he’s the best coach I know. At half-time, I told the players that we hadn’t played well, that we had foul problems, that we couldn’t get a shot in and that despite that, we were only trailing seven points. I’m proud of the defense in this game. When the attack does not work, you have to find resources on the other side of the field. »
Michael Malone carried in triumph by … the brothers of Nikola Jokic. (K.Terada/USA Today/Reuters)
“I thought about my rehabilitation. I thought about the tears, the blood, the sweat. It all came together all of a sudden”
Jamal Murray (Denver point guard): « (On her tears on stage) I couldn’t hold back, it was a surreal moment. Everything came together all of a sudden. My journey, the celebration with the guys, the moment itself, my memories of me as a child. I’ve worked my whole life for this. Any real basketball player wants to play this kind of match, to experience moments like this. I thought about my rehabilitation (he ruptured a cruciate ligament in 2021), to the fact that I couldn’t walk, couldn’t climb stairs, and not just for a month or two. I thought about the tears, the blood, the sweat. I missed a lot of shots early in the game. Probably because of the adrenaline. You want to finish the job on your floor, in front of your fans, your family. »