As the Miami Heat had a huge win over the Indiana Pacers Friday night, there was a funny moment that occurred during the game involving stars Jimmy Butler and Nikola Jovic. In the Heat’s disappointing loss to the Detroit Pistons last Tuesday, Jovic got hit in the face, which resulted in a nasal fracture, and wearing a mask Friday as Butler decided to do the same.
There is no doubt that it was a sign of support from Butler, who was out of the game due to an ankle injury as he’s missed the last three contests. When Jovic was asked about Butler, his response was nothing but comedic, saying that his teammate wants to be like him, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“He’s just trying to be like me,” Jovic said with a smile when asked about Butler’s support. “It’s hard having all these fans around me. He’s just trying to be cool. Not much more than that.”
Jovic would even be asked if he is the “Serbian Jimmy Butler,” to which he responded with “Or he’s the American me” per a video by the team’s official X, formerly Twitter, account.
Heat’s Nikola Jovic looking back at the hit that led to wearing a mask
As the Heat star in Butler is looking to make his return soon to the floor, he was looking to make light of Jovic’s situation since fitting for a mask is an adjustment for any player. Even watching a replay of the initial hit to the face resulting in a bloody nose was surreal for the 21-year-old.
“To see my face and my nose going the other way, it was weird,” Jovic said via The Miami Herald. “Good thing they popped it back. It’s a little broken, but I’m good.”
Jovic had recently been relegated to the bench after starting in the front court alongside Bam Adebayo but has made most of the opportunities so far, looking comfortable and producing with Miami. At any rate, the hope is that Butler and Jovic can reunite on the floor Friday night against the Pacers as the team is 5-6, which puts them ninth in the Eastern Conference.
