The Miami Heat have one of the best zone defenses in the NBA. However, Golden State Warriors power forward Draymond Green believes the Heat’s zone defense plays right into Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic’s hands.
“The zone works when Denver isn’t shooting the ball well,” Green said on his podcast. “So yes, it worked to a certain extent today. But if all else fails, you just throw the ball to Joker at the mid-post. The defense has to collapse, if not he’s hitting that shot at a 70 percent rate. And if they collapse or even overhelp just a tad, we know he’s making a play.
“I don’t think outside of Steph Curry, I don’t think there’s a tougher player to zone in the NBA [than Nikola Jokic]. Cause Steph shoots the lights out of it, like he’s shooting it from anywhere. And Joker, he makes every play, his touch is crazy, can shoot it, float. I don’t think there’s a tougher player to guard in a zone in the NBA than Steph and Joker.”
NBA NEWS & FINALS COVERAGE: Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
Jokic torched the Heat in Game 1 of the 2023 NBA Finals. The two-time MVP had 27 points, 10 rebounds nad 14 assists while shooting 66.7% from the field and 83.3% from the free-throw line. The Nuggets won Game 1 by 11 points to remain undefeated at home in the 2023 playoffs.
After Game 1, Jokic was asked about the Heat’s defense and the future Hall of Famer said Miami is a really intelligent team.
NBA NEWS & FINALS COVERAGE: Draymond Green, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
“I mean, that’s what they’re doing,” Jokic said. “That’s why they’re great. They’re really intelligent. Everybody knows what they are doing. That’s a hard team to beat because they keep playing the same way the whole game, and they’re really, really smart about how they’re doing it.”
Jokic and the Nuggets will look to take a 2-0 lead in the series in Game 2, which is on Sunday, June 4.
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