Injured Duo Sparks Short-Handed Heat to High-Scoring Win, Jovic Delivers Breakout Performance
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MIAMI — Playing on sprained ankles less than 24 hours after the injuries occurred, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Norman Powell powered the Miami Heat to a 137-130 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.
With Bam Adebayo sidelined for a second straight game because of a sprained big toe and Tyler Herro still rehabbing from offseason ankle surgery, head coach Erik Spoelstra needed every available body. Jaquez, who was not cleared to play until roughly 3:00 p.m., logged 29 minutes and finished with 14 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Powell added 22 points, two rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes.
“He spent three hours just trying to get his ankle ready,” Spoelstra said of Jaquez. “He even skipped the walkthrough to keep getting treatment, then gave us everything he had.”
After a sophomore slump last season, Jaquez has emerged as an early Sixth Man of the Year contender. He entered the game ranking third in the NBA in bench scoring and has become a tone-setter for Miami’s reserves. “We want to be that energy booster for our team,” Jaquez said. “No matter how the starters look, we try to take the energy up a level.”
Fast-Pace Shootout
The Heat and Blazers, the league’s two quickest teams in pace, combined for 267 points. Spoelstra installed the up-tempo approach during training camp and believes his roster has embraced it. “Our guys are getting comfortable with it,” he said. “Both teams were attacking—this was a heck of a basketball game.”
Jovic Finds His Rhythm
Nikola Jovic delivered his best outing of the young season with 29 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. The 22-year-old forward signed a four-year, $62.4 million extension last month but had struggled recently. “I felt like everything I did was wrong, and I wasn’t helping this team at all,” Jovic admitted. “I want to thank the coaches and everybody for supporting me.”
Looking Ahead
Miami hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday and Wednesday. Last spring, Cleveland swept the Heat in the first round, winning the two games at Kaseya Center by 37 and 53 points. “We were done at the end of April, and it was a very painful, embarrassing loss,” Spoelstra said. “We felt proud to earn that playoff ticket, but Cleveland deserved the series.”
The Heat will aim to carry Saturday’s momentum into the two-game set as they await the returns of Adebayo and Herro.
Source: Hoops Rumors
