By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Jimmy Butler missing a fourth straight game due to a strained left calf and more key players on the injury list, the Miami Heat went deep in the rotation checking youngsters, including Nikola Jovic. The stunning reward was a win against the Golden State Warriors in Chase Center on Thursday.
“We were missing some guys, so us young guys needed to step up a little bit,” noted the Serbian forward after a season-high 11 points to go with three rebounds and three assists over 20 minutes, “I feel like the coach and my teammates believe in me.”
“We were just there at the right spot, the right moment. The spacing was great. We just hit shots,” he added referring to the younger players stepping up in the absence of Butler, Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, and Josh Richardson with the help of more experienced teammates.
Jovic, 20, recorded his fifth appearance in the 2023-24 Regular Season. His sophomore NBA campaign features more action in the G League as a leading player of the Sioux Falls Skyforce. He was selected with the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA draft.
“It is going to be a long process,” he commented on his development, “I just need to believe the course, the coaches, the front office and everyone.”
Up to 19-12 in the Regular Season, the team coached by Erik Spoelstra continues a five-game road trip at the Utah Jazz on the next edition of NBA Saturdays.
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