After last night’s Game 1 victory over the Miami Heat, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are both just three wins away from their first NBA title.
As Jokic walked off the court after his postgame interview, he looked up into the crowd to see his wife and young daughter. Just as he has following other wins in the postseason, he shared a special moment with his daughter.
The two-time league MVP pointed to his palm as he looked up into the stands. Many media outlets assumed he was pointing to his ring finger in celebration of being one step closer to his first title.
Joker pointed to his hand after the Nuggets’ Game 1 win in the #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/HMu3BkZkE0
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 2, 2023
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But, as Jokic himself explained earlier in the playoffs, this gesture is just an inside connection he has with his daughter.
“It’s just a song that we sing, and she likes it,” Jokic said after Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals. “It’s just a song that we sing. It’s not a big deal, but she likes it. And I just want to have some connection with her.”
Nikola Jokic and his daughter shared a moment after Game 2, pointing to their ring finger ❤️ 💍 pic.twitter.com/XQWJrDHtuV
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 2, 2023
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Jokic married his high school sweetheart, Natalija, in October 2020. Nikola and Natalija welcomed their daughter, Ognjena, to the world in September 2021.
“I always say [Natalija] is the MVP of our family,” Jokic said last year. “She is doing so much for us and for the baby. I’m really happy that I have her, and that makes me so happy just to see her face when the baby sees Natalija. It’s amazing. I love it.”