Erik Spoelstra, the coach of the Miami Heat, respects 20-year-old Nikola Jovic’s work ethic after he leads the team to a rout of the Milwaukee Bucks. The timing of Miami Heat second-year forward Nikola Jović’s career-best performance on Wednesday night couldn’t have been more ideal.
In a 123-97 victory away from the Milwaukee Bucks, Jović finished with 24 points, seven rebounds, and three assists while Josh Richardson, Jimmy Butler, and Terry Rozier were sidelined. Although the 20-year-old’s career-high number of points is the focal point of his performance, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra praised all facets of it. “Niko performed admirably tonight,” Spoelstra remarked. He creates more inertia for our team during transitions, for sure, but the points are what will undoubtedly draw attention from everyone. A rocket scientist is not needed to understand that.”
Along with Kevin Love and Tyler Herro, Jović was one of the three Heat players to make at least five three-pointers.
“When Giannis [Antetokounmpo] was coming to help, which he [Antetokounmpo] does as well as anybody in this league, Nikola made some open shots,” Spoelstra remarked. You need to maintain his integrity, and Niko succeeded in doing so.”This season, the 6-foot-10 forward’s usage has been inconsistent. While the Heat was dealing with injuries in January, Jović started ten straight games; however, in the ten games that followed, he only played 10 minutes total.
Spoelstra praised Jović’s work ethic and perseverance.
“He persevered in his work, even after the Boston game, going to the gym to complete additional work with the coaches,” Spoelstra stated. “You start to notice changes when guys start acting that way. Those were crucial games for us during his three-week stint as a starter; he performed admirably and elevated the level of performance within the team. When everyone returned to health, he handled things well and had to wait for his chance.
