The Miami Heat lost one of its key players during their 104-87 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday night.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. was ruled out for the rest of the game after injuring his left groin.
Prior to the injury, the youngster recorded 15 points, five rebounds, and two assists in 14 minutes of play. Jaquez had the highest-scoring quarter of his brief career, scoring all 15 points in the first.
Over the last two weeks, Miami has focused on their 2023 first-round draft pick. Jaquez has started 11 of the previous 12 games for the Heat, which has used 21 different starting lines this season. The forward is the only player on Miami’s roster to have played in all 39 games this season. Jaquez has performed admirably in replacing Jimmy Butler, who is out with a toe injury.
The 22-year-old’s output has grown alongside his responsibility. The striker has averaged 16.3 points per game since becoming a regular starter. The only game in which Jaquez failed to reach double digits was, predictably, the one in which he did not start.
Haywood Highsmith and Duncan Robinson experienced an uptick in minutes after Jaquez left Sunday’s game. Multiple players have been compelled to step up as a result of the Heat’s season-long ailments. If Jaquez is forced to miss a lengthy period of time due to injury, Miami may once again turn to their depth.
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