Denver Nuggets fans tossed toilet paper, stood on cars and clamored atop street signs, shouting and chanting as fireworks lit up the Mile High skyline.
Nikola Jokic and Co. staved off a furious Miami Heat team Monday night, clinching the first championship in franchise history at home in front of a raucous crowd. As the final whistle blew, hordes of jubilant fans poured out of the downtown sports bars and started the celebrations.
In the game’s final minutes, the streets of downtown Denver sat empty and quiet before the madness to come, as the eyes of Nuggets fans remained glued to the nearest television screen.
Once the buzzer hit zero, the citywide tension broke, with drinks thrown in the air as hundreds of fans in McGregor Square cheered. Eventually, they successfully stormed the fences of the sports bar, with many running into the courtyard and at least one reveler standing on a car.
“It’s unbelievable! First time ever! We did it!” said John Mallon, 25, one of the fans in the crowd. “All of Denver is here right now, and we are partying tonight.”
Utkarsh Mandavilli, 18, described himself as feeling “amazing,” and is looking forward to a “crazy” parade.
Thousands of fans streamed into the roadways, even grabbing traffic cones as props for celebration. The madness intensified near Coors Field. As fireworks went off, young men climbed streetlights, with two dropping into the cheering crowd feet below.
Passerby sprayed bottles of champagne as cars honked and fans screamed, “let’s go, Nuggets,” off of their downtown apartment balconies.
Yarely Dominguez, 21, described watching “people dropping down from the light post — just falling on people, breaking down the signs, throwing shoes.”
But she ultimately called it “just fun — celebration.”
In McGregor Square, fans in Nuggets jerseys crowded the sidewalks leading to the entrance of Tom’s Watch Bar.
“There’s a crazy buzz around the city right now,” said Anthony Hirsch, a 21-year-old Denverite who recently moved to the city from Bailey.
At least a thousand fans gathered inside of the sports bar for the watch party, with a sign declaring the event sold out.
Denver residents Sam Bradley, 27, and Mary Grace Heller, 28, sat outside of Tom’s Watch Bar as the game began.
Bradley described himself as “extremely confident” in a Nuggets’ win. “We know this is it.”
Heller vowed to buy a chicken nugget costume as Colorado’s home team prevailed.
Cheers echoed around McGregor Square as the Nuggets took to the court, with fans gathered on nearby apartment balconies to catch a glimpse of the sports bar’s outdoor TVs.
Andrea Dunahugh, 55, craned her neck in McGregor Square to watch the first quarter of the game. A Colorado resident for 40 years, she describes herself as a fan for “as long as they’ve been going.”
She traveled to Denver from Summit County to watch the game with her son and grandson — the familial love of the team spanning generations.
“I’m feeling super confident that we’re going to win it tonight,” she said.
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