Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has already won one of the league’s biggest honors, the MVP trophy, twice in a row.
But now he has his sights set on the accomplishment he has always wanted: his first championship.
Jokic will get that chance starting on Thursday night when Game 1 of the Finals against the Miami Heat kicks off.
No one knows how the games will go.
But the betting markets have Jokic as the odds-on favorite to win Finals MVP.
In fact, Sports Odds History, via ESPN, states that Jokic is the biggest NBA Finals MVP favorite since 2003.
The Joker has historically great odds (-360) to win the NBA Finals MVP award 🃏 pic.twitter.com/f9QjPuIMeO
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) May 31, 2023
Jokic has had yet another stunning season.
He averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists on a wild 63.2% from the floor.
In this postseason, he has stepped that up to 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 10.3 assists.
The Nuggets have carved a fairly easy path to the Finals.
They defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, pushed past the Phoenix Suns, and then swept the Los Angeles Lakers.
That means that Jokic is much more rested than most people in his position.
He is prepared to show off and play hard.
Best of all for Jokic and his team is the fact that the first two games of the Finals will be held in Denver.
That is a location that is very hard for visiting teams.
Jokic is definitely set up to have yet another amazing series.
But if the Nuggets are going to win their first Finals, they will need more than just him to perform well.
He has been the strongest part of the team for a few years now, as multiple players have been hurt and the roster hasn’t been fully formed.
Yet, they kept falling short.
They have made it this far not just because of Jokic but because of the men around him too.
He might have the best chance to be Finals MVP.
But that will only happen if everyone else shows up.
NEXT: Chris Broussard Explains Where Nikola Jokic Ranks If He Wins Championship
