Heat’s Jaquez back to himself when needed most; 76ers’ Lowry awaits play-in reunion
The resurrection arrived as needed. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is looking like Jaime Jaquez Jr. again, just in time for the Miami Heat's challenging entry into the postseason.
MIAMI — The resurrection arrived as needed. Jaime Jaquez Jr. is looking like Jaime Jaquez Jr. again, just in time for the Miami Heat’s challenging entry into the postseason.
Set back by a midseason groin strain and then somewhat shuffled out of the mix after the acquisition of Terry Rozier, last June’s first-round pick made the most of the Heat’s final two regular-season games with performances resembling the player who was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for November and December.
“I just mentioned something to him in the locker room, after the game, that he looked like himself from earlier in the season,” coach Erik Spoelstra said after the Heat closed out their regular season with Sunday’s 118-103 rout of the Toronto Raptors at Kaseya Center. “He has his legs under him. He’s healthy. I think he has a clear mind. He has 70-plus games under his belt. He feels good.”
Until the weekend season-closing set against the Raptors, Jaquez had scored in single digits in six of his previous seven appearances.
But then came a 20-point outing with a career-high nine assists in Friday night’s 125-103 victory over the Raptors, followed by Sunday’s 18-point effort that included four 3-pointers.
Suddenly, the No. 18 pick out of UCLA again had the look of a player expected to be named first-team All-Rookie.
That timing is essential, with the Heat opening the play-in round with Wednesday night’s matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center, with possible playoff matchups looming against either the No. 2 New York Knicks or No. 1 Boston Celtics.
“I think he has an idea of what his role is right now. There’s clarity on that,” Spoelstra said of a Jaquez role nonetheless in flux due to the neck spasms that have sidelined Rozier and the back issue that has recurred with Duncan Robinson. “We need his offensive production. We need him getting downhill. We need his post-ups. We need him creating something in those possessions where you get a little bit jammed up and he can create something out of nothing.
“You can see where he’s improved. His passing has improved, his playmaking, and we need all of that at this time of year.”
Full circle
The Heat were well aware of the possibilities when they traded Kyle Lowry in January to the Charlotte Hornets for Rozier that the veteran point guard could resurface as a playoff opponent.
That is exactly what has happened, with Lowry in the midst of a revival with his hometown team, already scoring daggers against the Heat in the teams’ two meetings since the trade, a pair of 76ers victories.
Lowry helped the Heat advance to the 2022 Eastern Conference finals and 2023 NBA Finals in his two full seasons with the team.
Lowry and the Heat made it through the play-in round the hard way last year, losing their play-in opener against the Atlanta Hawks before advancing with a victory over the Chicago Bulls.
Now Lowry is positioned to force the Heat into a Friday winner-take-all play-in game at Kaseya Center against the winner of Wednesday night’s Nos. 9-10 Hawks-Bulls game.
“We understand what we’re playing for,” Lowry, 38, told the media Sunday. “Last year, we lost. We came out flat and, fortunately, we won the next game. It’s one game, and you’ve got to give everything that you’ve got.”
Lowry will be a free agent in the offseason. But first comes the opportunity to exact further revenge.
“It’s gonna be fun,” he said. “I think we’re gonna be ready. We’re gonna be prepared. We’re gonna go out here and we understand what we’re playing for and it’s gonna be a fun day.”
Lowry on Sunday reached 7,000 career assists, joining LeBron James, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul as the only active players at that total. He stands 21st all-time among the league leaders in assists.
Road warriors
The Nos. 7-8 play-in game originally had been scheduled for Tuesday. But with the Philadelphia Flyers closing their NHL regular season Tuesday night at Wells Fargo Center, the NBA had to shuffle the play-in slate.
Asked if he saw a benefit in an extra day of preparation, Spoelstra dismissed the scheduling.
“I don’t really care,” he said. “It could have been Tuesday, and we would have been ready for that.”
As it is, the Heat closed the season 22-19 at home, but 24-17 on the road, with forward Jimmy Butler unable to explain the discrepancy.
“You know what, that hard question that I don’t have the answer to,” he said. “I wish we played better at home. But whenever we get on the road, our back against the wall a little bit, I guess we get out of our comfort zone and then we really start making things happen. So I’m actually kind of glad that we’re on the road.” . . .
The Heat through the play-in round are bidding to make the playoffs for the 25th time in the franchise’s 36 seasons and fifth consecutive season. Their last non-playoff appearance was in 2019, when they wound up with Tyler Herro in the draft lottery.