Nikola Jokic has been collecting incredible feats in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, and that continues for the Denver Nuggets big man in the 2023 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Jokic also put up another prolific performance in Game 2, scoring 41 points and grabbing 11 rebounds, albeit in a 111-108 loss against the Heat, which also paved the way for him to join LeBron James and Larry Bird in an exclusive statistical club.
Via ESPN Stats & Info:
“Nikola Jokic becomes the 3rd player in NBA postseason history with 500 points, 200 rebounds & 150 assists in a single playoff run. The only other players who have done so are LeBron James (4 times: 2015-18 & 2020) & Larry Bird (1987).”
The Nuggets have gotten this far mainly because of the brilliance of Nikola Jokic, who's a problem no team in the playoffs has yet to solve. That includes the Heat, who got smoked in the series opener of the NBA Finals for a triple-double of 27 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds by the two-time league Most Valuable Player.
The Minnesota Timberwolves failed at their attempt to slow down Jokic, which was also the same case for the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers in the two succeeding rounds.
If the Nuggets are to win their franchise's first-ever NBA title this year, they are going to need Nikola Jokic to be at the top of his game each game for the rest of the series versus the Heat. He entered Sunday's game averaging 29.8 points on 54.2 percent shooting from the field, 47.5 percent from behind the arc, and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line, while grabbing 13.1 rebounds, and dishing out 10.5 assists.