![\"Nikola](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-15-at-11.12.11-PM-1024x714.jpg\")
Heat forward Nikola Jovic played just 12 seconds before suffering an elbow injury Monday against Toronto. (Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)<\/p>\nHeat forward Nikola Jovic played just 12 seconds before suffering an elbow injury Monday against Toronto. (Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n
The Miami Heat were already down two rotation players heading into Monday\u2019s game against the Toronto Raptors. Heat reserve Pelle Larsson is currently dealing with an ankle sprain, while star guard Tyler Herro was a late scratch<\/a> with a nagging toe injury.<\/p>\n Thus, an opportunity was available for Nikola Jovic to seize amid a poor start to his season. However, it came crashing down \u2014 literally \u2014 12 seconds into his first stint. <\/p>\n With 3:38 left in the first quarter, Jovic suffered a hard fall on a dunk attempt and injured<\/a> his right elbow. At first, it appeared he suffered an injury that required a stretcher. But that was not the case; instead, departing with an arm\/elbow brace. He did not return, with second-year Keshad Johnson assuming his minutes the remainder of the night.<\/p>\n Erik Spoelstra provides update, claims Heat hopefully \u2018dodged a bullet\u2019:<\/p>\n Jovic\u2019s X-rays came back negative, according <\/a>to Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra. Though they will undergo further testing to make sure it wasn\u2019t serious.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a hard fall,\u201d Spoelstra told reporters <\/a>after the Heat\u2019s 106-96 loss. \u201cHopefully, it looks like we dodged a bullet on that one. He came down really hard and split his elbow open, so it was bleeding. But the (X-Ray scan) came back negative, which is a good thing. But that will be sore for a while. We\u2019ll get (him) and MRI tomorrow just to make sure there wasn\u2019t anything else that we saw. But the bones are fine.<\/p>\n \u201cCrazy Serbian. I couldn\u2019t believe he was smiling,\u201d Spoelstra joked. \u201cHe was laughing when we all went up to him. It was his way of lightening the (situation). He probably saw the look in all of our faces.\u201d<\/p>\n Asked Erik Spoelstra about Nikola Jovic\u2019s hard fall, explained that they believed they \u201cdodged a bullet\u201d as X-Rays were negative. <\/p>\n \u201cCrazy Serbian, I couldn\u2019t believe he was smiling, he was laughing\u2026he probably saw the look on all of our faces\u2026split the elbow open.\u201d #HeatNation<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/VssHPAMIVh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 16, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n That\u2019s about as good an update as anyone could\u2019ve possibly hoped, given the circumstances. It remains to be seen how much time he will miss if the injury is, indeed, insignificant. But avoiding a serious injury at any measure is important, even if his start to the season has been underwhelming.<\/p>\n Through 18 games entering Monday, Jovic was averaging 7.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. He was shooting 39.0 percent shooting and 28.3 percent from 3-point range. It\u2019s been an up-and-down \u2014 mostly down \u2014 year for the 22-year-old forward. Hopefully, Jovic laughing about his injury is an indication he will return sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n The Miami Heat begin a three-game road trip Thursday, Dec. 18, against the Brooklyn Nets. <\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t