Inside The Heat

Miami Heat's Nikola Jovic Continues Strong Showing In Leadup To EuroBasket

Ethan J. Skolnick|
Jan 21, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) passes the basketball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Jan 21, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) passes the basketball against the Portland Trail Blazers during the first quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

Erik Spoestra, the Miami Heat coach, said he wanted to see growth from Nikola Jovic as Jovic plays this summer for the Serbian national team.

Thus far, it's on display.

Jovic, starting again, starred this time for Serbia against Germany on Saturday.

Most impressive? His decisive attacking. Jovic has that ability, but often has gotten lost in the Heat's system, as he's spotted up in the corner. And he made four three-pointers on Saturday, including two from significant distance. But it was the dribbling and finishing and foul-drawing that really stood out.

The Heat are desperate for that kind of offensive engine, even as they bring back Tyler Herro and add Norman Powell.

Whether Jovic starts next to Bam Adebayo, as he did at the start of last season, or comes off the bench as more of a super-versatile sixth man, this is the Jovic the Heat need to see regularly. Best of all, he's healthy this time. It's critical he stays that way.

Jovic isn't the only one playing well internationally.

Powell recently had 34 points with a stomach bug to help Jamaica qualify for its next round, which impressed veteran NBA analyst Mark Jones, among others.

And guard Pelle Larsson, after performing well in summer league, has been steady for Sweden.

Miami has turned over its roster considerably since the 2023 NBA Finals, with only three players remaining. Jovic and Larsson are two reasons for hope they can get back out of the play-in, as the next season starts.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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