Just when it seemed like the Denver Nuggets were ready to run away with the game Sunday night, the Miami Heat found a way to storm right back and take the lead when it mattered the most.
Nikola Jokic had a stellar outing as a scorer, but he logged just four assists in the game, which was far below his usual average.
With that in mind, Ramona Shelbourne of ESPN asked Erik Spoelstra whether that had been a part of the gameplan, citing that the Heat had chosen to “make him a scorer” instead of a passer.
Spoelstra was quick to dismiss that narrative right away, citing it was a “ridiculous question” and that only the untrained eye would think something like that.
Erik Spoelstra shut down Ramona Shelburne's question about turning Jokic into a scorer or a passer quickly pic.twitter.com/PxcWQNN5w4
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) June 5, 2023
Spoelstra explained that the Nuggets simply don’t play that way, and that making Joker a passer or a scorer wasn’t even a part of the scheme because he’s been the best player on Earth twice, and there are just so many things he can do with the rock in his hands.
The Heat caught some criticism and mockery online for putting Cody Zeller on Jokic during a big stretch of the game, and while it may have seemed crazy at first, it actually led to the Heat’s comeback.
Spoelstra continues to prove to be one of the best tacticians in the game, and his in-game adjustments are perhaps the best in business right now.
The series will now head to Miami for Games 3 and 4, and that chess match will be an epic battle.
NEXT: Draymond Green Names A Defensive Switch That Miami Should Make In Game 2
