Nikola Jokic Made NBA History In Heat-Nuggets Game

Nikola Jokic made NBA history in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

On Thursday evening, the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 104-93 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals (on their home floor in Colorado) 

They now have a 1-0 lead in the series and Game 2 will be back in Colorado on Sunday night (before the teams go to Florida for Games 3 and 4).

Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic finished his first career Finals game with an impressive stat line of 27 points, ten rebounds, 14 assists, one steal and one block in 40 minutes of playing time (he also shot 8/12 from the field). 

He is now the first center to record 14 assists in an NBA Finals game (passing Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who previously held the record with 13). 

Via CBS Sports: "Most assists by a center in an NBA Finals game:

1. *Nikola Jokić - 14 

2. Bill Russell - 13 

*First career Finals game"

Most assists by a center in an NBA Finals game:

1. *Nikola Jokić - 14
2. Bill Russell - 13

*First career Finals game pic.twitter.com/RYqLy9Aoll

— CBS Sports (@CBSSports) June 2, 2023

Jokic has been sensational during the 2023 NBA Playoffs with averages of 29.8 points, 13.1 rebounds, 10.5 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while shooting 54.2% from the field and 47.5% from the three-point range through the first 16 games.  

The Nuggets are the first seed in the Western Conference, and through the first three rounds, they have beat the Minnesota Timberwolves (eighth seed), Phoenix Suns (fourth seed) and Los Angeles Lakers (seventh seed).

As for the Heat, they are the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and have defeated the Chicago Bulls (play-in tournament), Milwaukee Bucks (first seed), New York Knicks (fifth seed) and Boston Celtics (second seed).