Heat’s Erik Spoelstra glows over Nikola Jovic after win vs. Pacers

MIAMI – When looking at the Miami Heat’s win over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night, 142-116, there were many contributions as the team was without Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. As Heat young forward Nikola Jovic made his return from injury in Friday’s win against the Atlanta Hawks, his impact was felt despite shooting struggles, but Saturday was a slightly different story for the 22-year-old.

There’s no denying that Jovic made an impact, but this time, he gave an offensive boost off the bench as he scored 19 points on shooting seven of 14 from the field, three of eight from deep, to go along with seven rebounds and seven assists.

Also recording two steals, Jovic also led Miami in plus/minus with +35 on the floor, showing the positive impact he had for the team, an aspect that head coach Erik Spoelstra knew all along was there.

“We felt this all along,” Spoelstra said. “You know, it’s just been an uneven start to this season for whatever. It doesn’t matter, we’re here, you know. And you know, we know how important he can be and how different we can look, you know, when he’s playing that style of basketball, you know, he definitely has to clean up some of the footwork, turnovers.”

“He’s got to work on that, clean that up,” Spoelstra continued. “But I want him being aggressive, particularly in transition. That gets us out to a different place, you know, he and Jaime, like I said, put their foot on the gas. And I want that, you know, it can do some things like we saw in that fourth quarter.”

Erik Spoelstra on another impactful outing from Nikola Jovic in what has come from an uneven start:

“We've felt this all along it's just been an uneven start for whatever reason but doesn't matter. We're here. We know how important he can be…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/iXSq3s0tTQ

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 28, 2025

Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. on the advice given to Nikola Jovic 

It has been a whirlwind of a season for the 2022 first-round pick as having a slow start to the season after receiving a $62.4 million contract extension, Jovic suffered a scary-looking elbow injury for the Heat. Missing the last four games before Friday’s win against the Atlanta Hawks with what was listed as an “elbow contusion/laceration,” Jovic’s body language has been different in the last two games, buying into the team’s system.

For Jaime Jaquez Jr., he would reveal the advice he’s given Jovic, emphasizing how he has “so much to grow and learn.”

“I think people forget how young he still is,” Jaquez said after scoring 28 points in the win over Indiana. “He’s still got so much to grow and learn. And he’s been through so many highs, so many lows, and we have his back through it all. And just for him to come out there tonight, it just shows how great of a talent he is and how much he can really impact the game.”

“It brings just a whole new dynamic to our team that really just fits so well with us and how this team wants to play, and I think it plays to his advantages,” Jaquez continued. “And something that I told him, ‘Man, just let it fly, man, no one cares. Just shoot the ball.’ And he’s a great shooter. I shoot with him every single day. I know this guy can shoot, so I just tell him, ‘Let them fly.’ And once he lets it fly and lets everything else go, he’s an incredible player.”

Jaime Jaquez Jr. on what he’s seen from Nikola Jovic the past two games.

“I think people forget how young he still is…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/qEI4CR1ZNG

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 28, 2025

Jovic looks to keep stacking great performances as the next opportunity comes Monday night against fellow member of the Serbian national team, Nikola Jokic, and the Denver Nuggets.

The post Heat’s Erik Spoelstra glows over Nikola Jovic after win vs. Pacers appeared first on ClutchPoints.