Jaime Jaquez is set to return to the lineup, and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
Jamie Jaquez is needed more than expected, plain and simple.
The Miami Heat are 1-5 without Jaquez in the lineup. Their problems won’t magically go away with him returning from injury, but he does clean up a lot.
The most glaring need the Heat are missing are the easy buckets and opportunities that Jaquez creates. You’ve always seen him cutting back door for an easy layup or crashing the boards for a put-back.
That part of the Heat offense has been nonexistent during this five-game losing streak. Before his groin injury, Jaquez averaged 17 points and five rebounds over his last four games.
Jaquez’s contributions don’t always appear on the stat sheet, but his impact is loud. His patience and ability to stay under control are impressive for a rookie.
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You never see Jaquez pressing for a basket; everything always comes within the game’s flow. Now, with so many mouths to feed, a connector for them is essential.
“[The Heat] have a bunch of guys right now that kind of stand around when they don’t have it, get it, and then they want to put it down and call for another screen.” ESPN Tim Legler said on Zach Lowe’s podcast.
“[The Heat] have a bunch of guys right now that kind of stand around when they don’t have it, get it, & then they want to put it down & call for another screen…Except for like Duncan Robinson who’s going to run around a lot & catch & shoot it when he gets it. Everybody else,… pic.twitter.com/zHtqNhyxqn
— Dru (@dru_star) January 26, 2024
“Except for like Duncan Robinson, who’s going to run around a lot and catch and shoot it when he gets it. Everybody else, they kind of wants to get into a rhythm off the dribble.”
He then goes on to say that Erik Spoelstra is the perfect coach to figure it out.
While listening to that, Jaquez instantly came to mind. He’s the selfless guy who makes the right play again and again. He doesn’t need the ball much to make an impact and barely needs to dribble it.
The Heat have been stuck in the mud, but the rookie may be the one who can free them.
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