Starter Nikola Jovic Expresses His Latest Frustration on the Court After Early Season Playing Time Issues: “Feel Like I’m Not There”

With a 23-16 record, the Heat are leading the Southeast Division and are shaping up for an incredible season. Spirits are high overall but even more so for their young forward Nikola Jovic. Things look good for him as the 20-year-old has been seeing more minutes on the court. And to top it off, Coach Spoelstra has been putting his name in the starting lineup for the last six games.

In Miami’s recent 104-87 win against the Hornets, Jovic started the game and clocked in 28 minutes, which is a huge improvement from the time he was allowed in the initial stages of the season. The Serbian, who has lately been much more consistent in Coach Spoelstra’s rotation, is happy with his playing time. However, he asserts that there is still an area he needs to work on.

Jovic feels he needs to work on his defense

In a recent interview with the Miami Herald, Jovic expressed his frustration at underperforming on the defensive end. While he is satisfied with his offense, Jovic regrettably says, “Defensively, I still need a lot of work. I feel like I’ve improved a lot because I’m working on it. But I still feel like I’m not there,” he said. “As someone who is 6-foot-10, I think I can do a lot more. Those things are going to keep me on the court and those are the things that [Erik Spoelstra] talks about and those are important things.”

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Well, it is encouraging to see the young star admit his shortcomings rather than being in denial. On a positive note, he is excited that his game minutes have gone up and is grateful to Coach Spo for the trust he put in him. “It’s really important for me. I haven’t played a lot this season,” he says and promises that he will do what it takes to step up and do right by the team. However, it wasn’t easy for Jovic to get to where he is today.

Impressing Coach Spoelstra

The Heat is known for finding players at the bottom and working their way up. The bottom line, you need to put in the work and impress Coach Spo. Jovic, on his part, has been patient and worked closely with the coaching staff. This season alone, Coach Spo has sent him to the G-League twice, in November and December.

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Jovic’s stint in the G-League seems to have paid off, as he has shown massive improvements, especially in his playmaking skills. After the increased minutes this year, Jovic has achieved a season-high score of 15 points (twice). He has played 13 games so far this season, but best believe that will increase after what we have witnessed recently.

Do you think Jovic has shown improvements this season? Does he deserve to frequent the starting lineup more often? Share your thoughts!