Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes the Miami Heat beat the Denver Nuggets in Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals by making Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic a scorer.
The two-time MVP had 41 points but only four assists in Game 2. The Heat beat the Nuggets by three points to even the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra fired back at a reporter after Game 2 when the reporter asked him about making Jokic a scorer.
NBA NEWS & FINALS COVERAGE: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
The reporter was Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
“Yeah, that’s a ridiculous — that’s the untrained eye that says something like that,” Spoelstra said. “This guy is an incredible player. You know, twice in two seasons he’s been the best player on this planet. You can’t just say, ‘Oh, make him a scorer.’ That’s not how they play. They have so many different actions that just get you compromised. We have to focus on what we do. We try to do things the hard way, and he requires you to do many things the hard way. He has our full respect.”
Jokic, who is averaging a triple-double in the 2023 playoffs, said he didn’t have an answer as to why he only got four assists in Game 2. The future Hall of Famer never pays attention to stats.
“I don’t know,” Jokic said. “I don’t think about assists or whatever. To be honest, I don’t know the answer. I was just playing, and I don’t think when I’m playing about stats or whatever.”
NBA NEWS & FINALS COVERAGE: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets & Miami Heat Updates
During the Jokic era, the Nuggets have been tougher to guard when The Joker gets double-digit assists because it means all the players around him are scoring. It’s easier for defenses to stop one guy compared to five.
We’ll see what adjustments the Nuggets make in Game 3, which is on Wednesday, June 7.
Want the latest in NBA analysis, breaking news, and insider information? Click Here. Follow NBA Analysis Network on Twitter and Facebook.
