Watch: Nikola Jokic and brothers have hilariously heartwarming NBA Finals celebrations
DENVER — For NBA Finals MVP Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets' first championship was a family affair.
After the buzzer sounded and his team had won 94-89, Jokic's teammates were visibly emotional. The icy two-time regular season MVP remained stoic as he told Lisa Salters, "The job is done, we can go home now."
But the center's brothers were not going to let him avoid the celebration.
Strahinja, the oldest of the three, lifted up his 6-11, 284-pound youngest brother by holding him under a leg and bouncing him up and down. The newly-crowned NBA champion barely got off the ground, but he was smiling widely with his eyes shining. The brothers then shared a long embrace.
The Jokic brothers 😅 #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/E4nuXgabsK
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 13, 2023
But that wasn't all.
Nemanja and Strahinja hoisted head coach Michael Malone in the air as the arena was filled with cheers. They lifted him by his legs and tossed him up and down. Malone was grinning ear to ear.
The Jokic brothers hoist Coach Malone in celebration as the Nuggets are NBA Champions! pic.twitter.com/1WkkYmO6iD
— NBA (@NBA) June 13, 2023
Jokic carried his little girl, Ognjena, with him throughout the trophy presentation, showing he's instilling the value of family into the next generation.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nikola Jokic and brothers hilariously celebrate NBA Finals win