The Denver Nuggets scored another big win on Wednesday night, beating the Miami Heat, 100-88, and reclaiming the top seed in the Western Conference.
However, even though the Heat didn’t win, one of their biggest stars did a great job at minimizing Nikola Jokic.
After the game, Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about Bam Adebayo’s determination to defend Jokic.
“Nobody will go toe to toe, minute for minute against Jokic other than Bam. Bam signs up for that and he’ll put himself out there and be vulnerable, you know, to the competition. That’s the competitor of all competitors,” Spoelstra said, according to ClutchPoints.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo's defensive performance on Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, where he held him to just 12 points:
"Nobody will go toe to toe, minute for minute against Jokic other than Bam. Bam signs up for that and he'll put himself out there and be… pic.twitter.com/ubajHXp62s
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 14, 2024
Jokic was held to just 12 points during the game, although he still scored a double-double because he also had 14 rebounds, along with 6 assists.
Getting a handle on Jokic is a huge key to stopping the Nuggets and that’s why Adebayo’s defense was so important.
However, there were multiple threats from Denver on Wednesday night.
Aaron Gordon scored 16 points and Jamal Murray posted 14.
But it was Michael Porter Jr. who did the most work, lighting up for 25 points and 7 rebounds, shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 5-of-9 from the three-point line.
As for Adebayo, he scored a double-double of his own with 17 points and 13 rebounds.
It was a tough fight all night long between both teams but in the end, the Nuggets were able to pull out the victory.
Defending Jokic might be the most difficult job in the NBA and it usually feels like no one can successfully do it.
The fact that Adebayo willingly stepped up and tried to stop Jokic shows just how competitive he is and how much he wants to win, no matter the challenge.
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