The Denver Nuggets won the NBA Championship Monday night marking the first time the team has won the title in its 47-year history.
The Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 in the fifth game to win the seven-game series.
Going into the series, many fans doubted the Nuggets would be able to pull a win over the Miami. By halftime, Denver trailed the Heat by seven points, but made it up in the final two quarters.
Center Nikola Jokic was named the Finals MVP after ending the game with 28 points and 16 rebounds.
YOUR DENVER NUGGETS ARE THE 2023 NBA CHAMPIONS 🏆#bRINGItIn pic.twitter.com/aOHqbUYwOx
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 13, 2023
“It was an amazing effort by the team,” Jokic said after the game ended. “It was an ugly game; we couldn’t make shots. But at the end, we figured out how to defend. That’s why we won the game.”
Forward Michael Porter Jr. contributed 16 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, according to Sports Spectrum.
The outspoken Christian has shared on numerous platforms that it is his faith in God that sustains him through the highs and lows of the game.
“I’m learning how to try to get my love from a stable source, which for me is God. So, learning to put that over things that are super changing and fleeting, like the admiration of fans or what the public says about you, that’s been a big thing that’s brought me peace,” he told Andscape before the start of the season.
The born-again believer grew up in a Christian household and said at one time he was insecure about his faith.
“My parents were strict parents. They held us accountable,” Porter said in a video posted on the website of Columbia, Missouri’s The Crossing Church’s website. “I remember we had a chart. If you lied, this is your punishment. If you disobeyed, this is your punishment.”
“But when I stepped on a college campus, I could do what I wanted. And that’s when my faith really became my own,” he continued. “Did I want to be the person that parties all of the time, get drunk, sleeps with a bunch of women or did I want to be a person that my parents raised me to be?”
He told the “Truth Over Tribe” podcast that when he began attending the University of Missouri, he quickly realized that Christ was the only one who could fulfill him.
“In college, I finally realized I wanted to choose Jesus and God. I want to be known as a (Christian). I’m not going to be perfect but that’s what I’m going to choose,” he recounted.
Porter speaks boldly about his faith on social media.
One Instagram post caption reads, “There is a good, loving God named Jesus who died for all of us. All we have to do is believe and put our faith in Him! Through all the heartache, adversity, and tough times in life continue to trust in HIM and His divine plan!”
Although Porter has the privilege of having a championship ring, he says the real prize is being able to share Christ with others.
“It’s been a dream of mine to influence people for God’s kingdom, because no matter how down I am, I know in the back of my head — God is what matters. Getting people to heaven is what matters. It’s been a dream of mine to get as good at basketball as I can. My platform is so big, maybe I can influence a generation. Maybe I can influence thousands, perhaps millions of people. That’s my end dream,” he shared.
