Nikola Jovic says Miami Heat are finally doing what Erik Spoelstra has been promising since 2022

Jovic is happy with the Heat’s new approach

After the struggles of the previous season, the Heat are better off freshening up their approach to the game. Since they do not have a star scorer like Jimmy Butler anymore and Tyler Herro is still out injured, playing a run-and-gun style is a much better style for Miami.

Spoelstra has known this for a while, as he wanted to implement this style for years. Unfortunately, that did not pan out in previous seasons, possibly because of the roster they had. Butler might not have been the best fit for their style, which would have limited his impact as the star player.

Now that Butler is playing for the Golden State Warriors, the current Heat roster is a much better fit for this new approach. For a young player like Jovic, it is more fun for the players, and it is a much better fit for the current group.

“Since I came here, we always say we’re going to play fast every year, but we don’t really do it; we kind of go back to the slow pace. Gets in the post and makes sure we know how to attack,” Jovic said on Friday.

“This year, from the jump, he really wanted us to play this way. I feel like the coaches and everybody are pretty happy in the locker room because we haven’t had games like this in the last three years when we just go off and do what we can do.”

“We really stayed dedicated. All that running and the training camp that was really hard, I think it will pay off. It will for sure help us look better.”

The Heat could have a better campaign in the 2025-26 season

After two games, the Heat have been an impressive team. This is a huge step in the right direction for the Heat because they looked a bit aimless in the 2024-25 campaign, aside from Herro’s All-Star campaign.

Now, they want to perform with a purpose, especially since they have a full training camp with their roster, and players like Jovic are doing well. Herro might not be back for a while, but the rest of the team is proving they can keep it up until their All-Star guard returns.

It has been a well-rounded team effort, as everyone from Jovic and Powell to Bam Adebayo has had standout games. This is a great development for Miami and Spoelstra because they want to make it further in the Eastern Conference. This won’t be easy, but taking advantage of other teams’ struggles will be the way Miami gets back into the postseason in a strong position.