After having a few stumbles in the NBA Western Conference Finals, the Denver Nuggets reached the league’s championship for the first time in 2023 and have now secured a title.

Last night (June 12), confetti began to fill the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado after the Nuggets players dribbled out the clock in game five of the Finals. For the first time in the program’s history, the team earned a title after defeating the Miami Heat in a 4-1 series.

Since the beginning of the season, the Nuggets appeared poised to make a run for a championship. For most of the league’s year, the team sat atop the WC standings. Once the regular season ended, the Nuggets secured the top NBA playoff seed in the conference. Led by their two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić and veteran point guard Jamal Murray, the Nuggets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.

In round two, the team routed the Phoenix Suns in a 4-2 series. The Nuggets moved on to the WCF where they swept the Los Angeles Lakers 4-0. After securing the championship, Finals MVP Jokić spoke with reporters about the historical moment. “The job is done. We can go home now,” he said.

In 2014, the Nuggets drafted the 28-year-old athlete as the No. 41 pick out of Serbia, his home country. Along with two league MVPs, Jokić has acquired five NBA All-Star appearances in his young career.

Former President Barack Obama was among the public figures to offer their congratulations to the Nuggets. Although the 61-year-old politician no longer serves in the White House, he continues to honor professional and college programs on their championship victories. The Hawaii native tweeted, “Congrats to the Denver Nuggets and the remarkable Finals MVP Nikola Jokić for bringing home the franchise’s first NBA Championship!”