The Miami Heat will enter the 2026 NBA postseason in the same position as last year—slotted 10th in the Eastern Conference—but several individual performances stand out across the Southeast Division.
Jaquez Positioned for Sixth Man Honors
Third-year forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. finished the regular season with career highs of 15.2 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. BetOnline lists the 23-year-old with the second-best odds for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, trailing only San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson. “Failure isn’t falling down, failure is staying down,” Jaquez said, reflecting on last season’s struggles and this year’s improvement.
Herro Focused on Escaping Play-In
Teammate Tyler Herro called the 2025-26 campaign “a long, weird, awkward season” marked by injuries and uncertainty about his return date. With Miami back in the play-in tournament, the shooting guard set a straightforward objective: “I need to get out of the play-in.”
Carrington’s Iron-Man Streak Reaches 164 Games
Washington guard Bub Carrington appeared in Sunday’s loss to Cleveland, becoming the first player since Karl-Anthony Towns to play 164 consecutive games to open an NBA career. Carrington logged 38 minutes in the finale, posting 20 points and nine assists. Towns previously completed his own two-year iron-man stretch from 2015-17 and extended it through 2017-18.
Cain Secures Rotation Spot in Orlando
Although Orlando’s season ended with a loss to Boston’s reserves, fourth-year wing Jamal Cain cemented his place in the Magic rotation. “All the work that me and my trainer put in is actually coming to fruition,” Cain said, noting the confidence shown by teammates. His contract includes a team option for 2026-27.
The Heat open play-in action later this week, while the Wizards and Magic shift their focus to offseason planning.
Source: Hoops Rumors
