Heat coach Erik Spoelstra calls Nikola Jokic “very unique” as Miami knows they need “all five guys” to guard the Nuggets star in the NBA Finals
- Jokic averages a triple-double, with 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists
- Miami could consider a number of different defensive plans to challenge him
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The Miami Heat know they’re going to have a rough time when it comes to guarding Nikola Jokic in the NBA Finals.
Denver’s MVP candidate was phenomenal in the playoffs — averaging a triple-double of 29.9 points, 13.3 rebounds and 10.3 assists.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra knows that his team is in for a tough series if they cannot contain the big man from Serbia.
“He is very unique,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Wednesday. “He doesn’t really have noticeable weaknesses in terms of his size, his skills.
“He’s one of countless ways he can influence the game and winning.”
Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic should have a big impact on the NBA Finals
Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra called Jokic “very unique” and that the two-time MVP winner from Serbia “doesn’t really have noticeable weaknesses in terms of his size, his skills.”
As for how to give the two-time MVP winner a hard time, Miami’s Jimmy Butler says the team can’t take a minute away from him.
“He’s guarding like a team with all five guys,” Butler said. “He’s doing everything so well, and we’re going to have to watch, we’re going to have to bounce back.
“We can’t have any defensive misses. We’ll just have to go after it. I think at the end of the day, he’s a major key, as DJ Khaled would say, and we’re going to have to lock in.”
Usually the job of defending Jokic goes to two-time All-Star Bam Adebayo – who said he will focus on forcing his hand when he has the ball.
“Force him hard shots and live with the result,” Adebayo said. ‘That’s the most important thing to me.
“I feel like this is one of those series where he becomes very dangerous when you get his teammates involved, and he can make those incredible passes and finish with 12 assists.”
As for how Jokic prepares to face Miami in Game 1 on Thursday night, he doesn’t seem to care about whatever defensive plan the Heat generates.
Jimmy Butler says all five players on the floor are tasked with defending Jokic
“You’ll see tomorrow,” Jokic said on Wednesday, when asked about the zone and how it affects his game.
“But we’ve seen the zone. We definitely didn’t see these kinds of zones because they’re alternating zones and they really mess the game up in their favour.
“We just have to be focused and solid at what we do because that’s why they’re great, that’s why they’re winning, that’s why they’re in the final.
“They ruin the game their way, and they do it very well.”