Nikola

Jovic

With Jaime Jaquez Jr. out due to an illness, more minutes were available to Highsmith on Wednesday. He played well enough to start the third quarter, bumping Nikola Jovic from the lineup. The volatile nature of that fifth starting spot makes it difficult to trust Highsmith, Jovic, or Jaquez (when healthy) in most fantasy leagues. Jovic only played five minutes against the Suns, scoring four points and grabbing one rebound.

Love hasn’t hit the hardwood yet in 2024-25. Fantasy managers should expect Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez to play plenty during his absence and even following his return.

Jovic was difficult to rely on in fantasy basketball last season, as he was rarely a lock to reach 20 minutes. He played 24 minutes on Wednesday and had a solid night, finishing second on the team in scoring while recording a full stat line. Given the nature of the game, Haywood Highsmith (nine points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals, one block, and one 3-pointer) playing 30 minutes off the bench is not something fantasy managers should not read into too much. Keep an eye on Jovic’s minutes, as he may be worth a look in deep leagues (currently 5% rostered) if the Heat play him 24-28 minutes regularly.

After reaching double figures in each of the series’ first three games, Jovic faltered in Games 4 and 5. That was the tale of his season, with the second-year forward failing to provide consistent production. It has been said that Miami likes Jovic’s potential, but that didn’t always result in extended minutes this season. He averaged just 19.5 minutes per game in 46 appearances this season, ranking outside the top 250 regarding fantasy value. Unless the Heat were to make drastic changes to their roster, Jovic isn’t a player who should be selected in most leagues. However, he could offer streaming potential at points during the season.

With Jimmy Butler sidelined, Jovic has been asked to provide more production and answered the call. The second-year forward recorded a full stat line for the second consecutive game, shooting 3-of-5 from beyond the arc. Also noteworthy for Jovic in Game 3 was the playing time, as he logged 34 minutes after accounting for 26 and 26 in the series’ first two games. Duncan Robinson, who has been dealing with left facet syndrome, only playing seven minutes had a lot to do with that. Also taking on an enhanced role during this series has been Jaime Jaquez Jr., who finished Game 3 with 12 points, five rebounds, five assists, and one blocked shot in 34 minutes. He and Jovic must step forward in Game 4 on Monday night, as the Heat trail two games to one.

Jovic thrived in his best postseason performance yet. He was second among Heat players in rebounds and assists while pacing his team in steals and blocks.

Jovic was initially listed as probable, and he has now officially been cleared to suit up in this one. He logged 26 minutes in Game 1 and had 10 points and six rebounds. He should continue to start in this game.

Butler suffered the injury in the first quarter of Wednesday’s loss but managed to play the rest of the game. He was seen noticeably grimacing throughout the contest, most notably after a steal and fastbreak dunk. Butler’s absence couldn’t have come at a worse time for Miami. The Heat will play in an elimination game Friday against the Bulls, and the winner will advance to face the Celtics as the No. 8 seed. Without “Playoff Jimmy” on the court, Miami will have to lean more heavily on Jaime Jaquez Jr., Haywood Highsmith, Nikola Jovic and Caleb Martin.

Jovic fell short of his season-high mark of 24 points but attempted a season-high 18 shots against Toronto. He’s established himself as a regular starter in the back half of his sophomore season.

Jovic came close to tying his career-high of 24 points, but he was able to tie his career-high of five 3-pointers. Both of those were marks that he set in a blowout win over the Bucks just before the All-Star break. He has been a consistent starter since then, and he has started to turn that into standard league fantasy value. He ranks inside the top-100 over the past two weeks, despite a few duds mixed in. If he continues to play well in the postseason, he may be a late-round target next season.