This year, Tend had the opportunity to staff a monumental moment in NBA history. The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship in the near half century they have been in the National Basketball Association, and our Tenders had the amazing opportunity to help make this happen firsthand! After years of coming up short with the likes of Melo and Iverson, the Denver Nuggets had their historic NBA Finals run, led by Jokic and Murray, with a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. The Mile-High City and Ball Arena remained elated and elevated throughout the week with a parade the likes of a miniature Mardi Gras.

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Ball Arena, once known as The Pepsi Center, has been home to the Denver Nuggets since its opening in 1999 for a sold-out Celine Dion concert. Over the first two decades it remained a hub for electric, young NBA talent. Recently, during the 2020-2021 NBA season, the Pepsi Center went through a naming rights change and was renamed the Ball Arena, paying homage to Ball Corporation's partnership with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, the Nuggets' ownership group. Now, fittingly named Ball Arena, this 21,000 seat facility has continued to embrace the Nugget’s rich basketball heritage and provide the backdrop for the historic victories and performances of Finals MVP Nikola Jokic over Jimmy Butler and the Heat hustle culture.

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Nikola Jokic led the Denver Nuggets in a season where his performance matched some and exceeded some MVP voter’s expectations, and his Playoff performances on the court resulted in a well-deserved NBA Finals MVP trophy. Already a five-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA regular season MVP, it is clear that Jokic has established himself as one of the all-time great Denver Nuggets and perhaps the best player Ball Arena has seen to date. We’re glad to see more opportunities to staff events with global ramifications and deliver top tier Tend events across the country.

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