DENVER – It’s not a typo, and it’s not a prank.
The NBA Finals series between the Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat will feature players with strikingly similar names: Denver’s Nikola Jokic and Miami’s Nikola Jovic. Both are of Serbian descent, though Jovic was born in the United Kingdom.
Jokic, of course, wears No. 15 for the Nuggets. Jovic wears No. 5 for Miami.
While the names and numbers are nearly identical, the players are not.
Jokic is arguably the best basketball player in the world, averaging a triple-double in these playoffs and making history on what seems like a nightly basis.
Jovic is a reserve player whose first year in the league was riddled with injuries. He only appeared in 15 games, averaging 5.5 points in 13 minutes. He was active for 17 other contests in which he didn’t see playing time.
Jovic has appeared sparingly in four postseason games in 2023.
According to The Associated Press, Jokic and Jovic met earlier this season for the first time to have dinner and get to know each other a little bit — Jokic knew about Jovic before they met — and now they’re on opposite sides of the NBA Finals.
Here is the schedule of games in the NBA Finals:
Game 1: Thursday, June 1 @Nuggets| 6:30 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 2: Sunday, June 4 @Nuggets | 6 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 3: Wednesday, June 7 @Heat| 6:30 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 4: Friday, June 9 @Heat| 6:30 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 5*: Monday, June 12 @Nuggets| 6:30 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 6*: Thursday, June 15 @Heat| 6:30 p.m. MST (Denver7)
Game 7*: Sunday, June 18 @Nuggets| 6 p.m. MST (Denver7)
*if necessary
