To win the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat will have to do something every other team that has faced the Denver Nuggets has tried to do and failed: Slow down Nikola Jokic.
Dating back to Jan. 27, 2021, Jokic has won his last six meetings against the Heat. He’s averaged 22.2 points on 63.5% shooting, 12.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in those games. Those numbers are in line with Jokic’s typical averages, and don’t suggest that Miami has ever had an answer for limiting the two-time MVP to a meaningful degree.
In these playoffs, Jokic has been downright dominant, posting 29.