As the Miami Heat prepare to square off against the Atlanta Hawks in the high-stakes NBA play-in tournament, the pressure is intense. The outcome of this win-or-go-home matchup determines which team secures a postseason berth and which one sees their season end. Aside from the absence of veteran Kevin Love, Miami is expected to have its full roster available — and perhaps most notably, the return of forward Nikola Jovic is generating buzz.
The 21-year-old has been sidelined since February 23 due to a fractured right hand sustained in a game against the Milwaukee Bucks, where he played 15 minutes before the injury occurred. Prior to the setback, Jovic had become a reliable presence in Erik Spoelstra’s bench rotation, averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting an efficient 45.6% from the field and 37.1% from three-point range.
Now upgraded to “probable” for Friday’s crucial clash, Jovic is expected to be available, although likely in a limited role. Spoelstra even hinted that his usage might be minimal, joking in an interview with The Miami Herald that Jovic could be used “just as an inbounder.” Still, the coach emphasized the young forward’s determination to rejoin the lineup: “I’m anticipating he’ll suit up tonight too because he just wants to be there. He’s checking all the boxes. I don’t know if he’ll be fully cleared, but maybe I’ll use him as an inbounder.”
Joining Jovic in a potential return is rookie Pelle Larsson, who has also been upgraded to “probable.” Larsson suffered a right ankle sprain in an unusual weight room incident on April 9 but has been making steady progress. Spoelstra noted Larsson’s improvement, stating, “Each day is better. He had a great day, full contact yesterday… he’s further along than he was 48 hours ago.”
The return of both players comes at a pivotal time. Jovic, having missed the last 28 games, was recently upgraded from “out” to “questionable” before Miami’s win over Chicago, which Spoelstra described as a key milestone.
If the Heat manage to defeat the Hawks, they’ll move on to face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
