Nikola Jovic uses himself as an example to describe the depth of Miami’s roster

With Miami Heat vs. Duncan Robinson and the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, it will be the second straight game in which the team is completely healthy. As it is Warmth comes with a completely healthy lineupthere were some changes and sacrifices of certain players and their roles in the rotation, such as Nikola Jovic.

Before Wednesday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, Jovic had missed the last four games with a hip injury, but fans hoped the 22-year-old would improve after a frustrating season. If he continued with that trend, Jović would not have recorded a single minute, dropped out of Miami’s rotation, as a coach. Erik Spoelstra fired a 10-man lineup in a 106-103 victory.

Although Jovic could feel either way about the decision, he would instead complete the team’s depth.

“I think if I’m the 11th guy on the bench, I think we have a pretty good team,” Jovic said after practice Thursday, according to The Miami Herald.

Even though it was a season for Jovic, he had healthy scratches before, like last season, where he didn’t play in six straight games before finishing the season with double-digit minutes over the final 32 games.

“I’m fine,” said Jovic. “It’s something that happens, you know, I guess every season. I’m going to come back, I’m going to get back on the court again, I’m going to get a chance and show that I can play again. And then the circle turns.”

Fan Nikola Jović admits the “difficult” process

Still, there’s no question that there’s concern when seeing a healthy scratch for a young player, especially when he is The Heat extended Jovic’s contract last month. Jović would admit that it is a “difficult” process to go through, not playing healthy, but he is committed to that process while waiting for his “opportunity”.

“It’s still difficult,” Jovic said. “You don’t want to go out. It gets a little confusing. But now it’s really become, I guess, a normal thing. The good thing is that before I had examples like Duncan (Robinson), who would be a big piece and then not play at all, and a lot of things. So I’m just chilling and waiting for my opportunity.”

Jovic was open about his development, saying after 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists against the Portland Trail Blazers that he felt he wasn’t helping the team before the contest. There’s no question that it’s a change for everyone on the team, as Miami runs a new offense focused on a loose, fast-paced system.

Jovic is averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game so far this season, while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from beyond the arc. It remains to be seen whether Jovic’s role will remain the same with the next opportunity on Saturday against the Pistons as Miami seeks seven straight wins.