Nuggets: Nikola Jokic Held to 4 Assists as Heat Steal Game 2

Nikola Jokic and Bam Adebayo - 2023 NBA Finals - Game Two

(Photo : Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) DENVER, COLORADO - Nikola Jokic (#15) of the Denver Nuggets dribbles against Bam Adebayo (#13) of the Miami Heat during the third quarter in Game Two of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena on June 04, 2023 in Denver, Colorado.

Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic put up 41 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists in their narrow 111-108 Game 2 loss against the Miami Heat on Sunday night.

While the numbers may look eye-popping to casual fans, his 4 assists were the lowest he has had in a game these playoffs. He also had more turnovers (5) than dimes, the first time that it happened since February.

Moreover, the three games that the Nuggets have lost in the postseason were those wherein Jokic scored more than 40 points.

The Nuggets are winless in these playoffs when Joker drops 40+ points 😮 pic.twitter.com/5h2IUSmvSD
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 5, 2023

Heat Turn Nikola Jokic Into a Scorer, Rather Than a Facilitator

Bam Adebayo, the man tasked with taking up Jokic on the defensive end for the Heat, also contributed huge numbers on offense. His 21 points and 9 rebounds were crucial in shifting momentum toward Miami's favor in the 4th quarter.

Bam Adebayo in Game 2:

21 points (8/14 FGM)
9 rebounds
4 assists
2 blocks pic.twitter.com/F63rGOYyrJ
— Playbook Sports (@PlaybookSN) June 5, 2023

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra noted the huge responsibility on Adebayo's shoulders, guarding arguably the toughest cover in the league and taking a substantial offensive role while playing over 40 minutes.

Erik Spoelstra, following Miami's G2 win, waxes poetic on the role and contributions of Bam Adebayo in this series, particularly with his matchup against Jokic. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/afhzdwsANG
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) June 5, 2023

While Jokic had an impressive scoring night, the rest of the team was subpar in that category.

Jamal Murray, who missed the potential game-tying shot, was the next-leading scorer for Denver with 18 points, far from his playoff average of 27 points per game.

Michael Porter Jr. also struggled in Game 2, finishing with 5 points on 2-of-8 shooting from the field and 1-of-6 from three.

Jokic's playmaking has been crucial for the whole squad during the year. Denver went 3-7 on the ten games where the Serbian center dished out 6 assists or less in the regular season.

Related Article: Karim Benzema Set for Saudi Arabia Move