INSIDE DENVER’S LOCKER ROOM FINALS PARTY: Jamal Murray is pushed into a POOL by MVP Nikola Jokic, players puff on cigars, dance to Kanye and get soaked in champagne as they toast title
Denver Nuggets’ first-ever championship squad partied deep into the night in the Mile High city as players were showered in champagne, puffed on luxury cigars and took turns dunking each other in the team pool.
Mike Malone’s squad took care of business to close out their first ever NBA Finals in Game 5 against Miami Heat to lock in the franchise’s first title.
The Nuggets, who were the No 1 seed in the West this season, held their nerve after dropping the last game – Game 2 – at home and it was party time in the locker room after the final buzzer.
Star pairing Nikola Jokic – who won Finals MVP – and Jamal Murray were seen wrestling near the pool as the Serbian center dunked his team-mate in the water.
For others, it was their moment to spray champagne on teammates and staff and coach Malone was front and center with his ski goggles on to drench his stars as reporters also got soaked.
Players danced and sang along to Jay-Z and Kanye West before kids and family members soon descended on the locker room to join the celebrations.
Murray took it upon himself to tightly grip the Larry O’Brien trophy and he refused to let it out of his hands once commissioner Adam Silver had presented it.
It has been a long road against injury to prosperity for Murray and he cut an emotional figure after winning his first championship ring.
Team owner Stan Kroenke, who always owns Arsenal FC, made an appearance in the locker room, wearing a blue blazer and an NBA Champions snapback.
It is the latest championship in the Kroenke stable, adding to the LA Rams’ Super Bowl win in 2022, the Colorado Avalanche winning the Stanley Cup in 2022 and his National Lacrosse League team, the Colorado Mammoth, winning their championship in that same year.
While Denver have now got the first ring in the case, Coach Malone is eager to push this group to a dynasty.
‘I’ve got news for everybody out there. We’re not satisfied with one,’ Coach Malone said. ‘We want more.’
He added: ‘We accomplished something this franchise has never done before, but we have a lot of young talented players in that locker room, and I think we just showed through 16 playoff wins what we’re capable of on the biggest stage in the world.’
Teammates were eager to mark this moment for two-time MVP and now Finals MVP Jokic, despite his reluctance to step into the limelight.
Jokic re-entered the locker room at 11:34pm with his daughter in one arm and the Finals MVP trophy in the other.
Jubilant teammates chanted ‘MVP’ at him as he walked through while also spraying champagne wildly over the crowd he navigated through.
Players wore custom-made NBA Champions t-shirts, while others donned the same snapback cap that owner Kroenke wore.
Reporters continued to hear chants of ‘dynasty starts now’ as players celebrated into the early hours together.
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