Miami Heat's Bam Adebayo Explains The Difficulty Of Defending Nikola Jokic

Jokic is one of the toughest covers in the NBA

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has earned a reputation as one of the NBA's top defenders. 

And even he has difficulty covering two-time MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. Jokic had 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a victory against the Heat Monday. 

Afterward, Adebayo broke down the challenges of guarding him. 

"I don't even know how to describe that," Adebayo said. "It's very slow pace and on his own time. The one thing I can give him, though, is he's very patient."

Jokic is trying to become just the fourth player to win straight MVPs, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Larry Bird. 

"I think the thing for him is not giving him space," Adebayo said. "That's the toughest part because he's so crafty and he can pass. I don't think it's really mental. I think everybody else who's not guard him has to be mentally prepared when he makes those crazy passes. [When] you're guarding him, you just got to force him into tough shots and he's going to make tough shots." 

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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat.

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