Denver Nuggets defeated Miami Heat to win first-ever NBA championship as Nikola Jokic shines again

Nuggets make history! Denver defeats Miami 94-89 to clinch its first-ever NBA title, as superstar Nikola Jokic racks up 28 points to seal victory over Heat in Game 5

  • Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets broke clear in the fourth quarter to win Game 5 and seal the NBA championship
  • Jimmy Butler fell short with a disappointing performance when he had to save his team’s season
  • DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news

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Nikola Jokic and his Denver Nuggets are NBA champions for the first time in franchise history after a 94-89 Game 5 win gave them an unassailable lead over the Miami Heat.

On a night when Miami needed star man Jimmy Butler to perform, and Denver asked their leader Jokic to finish the run, it was the Serb who answered the call and brought in 28 points as his rival struggled to impress.

The win sealed Denver a one-sided NBA Finals series 4–1 and ended their 56-year wait to clinch the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

More to follow.

1686626393 312 Denver Nuggets defeated Miami Heat to win first ever NBA championship

1686626397 358 Denver Nuggets defeated Miami Heat to win first ever NBA championship

Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope play to a sold-out crowd at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado

Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope play to a sold-out crowd at Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado

Gordon (right) celebrates in the Nuggets' nervous Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat on Monday night

Gordon (right) celebrates in the Nuggets’ nervous Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat on Monday night

The crowd at Ball Arena goes wild as Bruce Brown dunks against the Heat during the first half of Denver's game

The crowd at Ball Arena goes wild as Bruce Brown dunks against the Heat during the first half of Denver’s game

Jokic went into the game arguably the best NBA player of the season, and he was once again hard to control

Jokic went into the game arguably the best NBA player of the season, and he was once again hard to control

Peyton Manning watches from the court during Game 5 of the NBA Finals

Jamal Murray shoots a 3-pointer against the Miami Heat during Game 5

Peyton Manning watches from the court (left), as Jamal Murray shoots a three-point attempt for the Nuggets

Two of the stars of the NBA Finals series - Adebayo (left) and Jokic (right) face off during the fourth quarter of the game

Two of the stars of the NBA Finals series – Adebayo (left) and Jokic (right) face off during the fourth quarter of the game

Fans had shelled out for thousands to be at the arena to watch their Denver Nuggets take a shot in history Monday night

Fans had shelled out for thousands to be at the arena to watch their Denver Nuggets take a shot in history Monday night

A fan went all out with his haircut for the biggest game in franchise history

Rocky, the Nuggets mascot, urged the team to 'get it in' - and they did

A fan went all out with his haircut for the biggest game in franchise history, as Rocky begged the team to “get it in”