The goalposts always move for me. We got a top-five defense, and it's like I've heard nothing about it. ... I do think I should be on an All-Defensive team. I feel like that's understood. But people might try to pick other dudes or whatever the case may be. They try to use anything. I don't even know what the criteria is anymore because at first it was about winning, and then you got guys that aren't winning that are on the team.
Adebayo, 28, was upgraded to probable on Sunday when the injury report was officially disclosed. Jokic, a three-time MVP, and Adebayo have had some good battles over the years. During the 2023 NBA Finals, Jokic got the best of Adebayo, who was the Heat's best player. Though the Heat's three-time All-Star still averaged 21.8 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists over that five-game series.
"It finally got to a point where I had to sit down," Adebayo told reporters after Miami's 142-116 win, even though he wasn't active. "Sit and rest. That's really what it was. It was one of those nagging injuries. So I finally had to sit down. "It wasn't always the back. It just crept up to the back. ... It's the NBA, guys always try to play through (injuries), and when you can't, you sit down and rest."
If this is a sign of things to come, Jovic could be showing some life at the perfect time for the Miami Heat. Jovic finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists on 50 percent shooting from the field for the Heat in their big win over the Pacers Saturday night. And with the Heat nursing multiple key injuries, Jovic finally breaking out of his season-long slump would only mean good things for this Heat team.
