Erik Spoelstra's confident Jamie Jaquez Jr. prediction will excite Heat fans
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MIAMI – There is no doubt that it has been an underwhelming and injury-riddled season for Miami Heat star Jaime Jaquez Jr., in the midst of his second season in the NBA. However, Jaquez’s superpowers could be unlocked soon as Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra makes a strong prediction about the UCLA product.
After having an impressive rookie campaign, it has been a slight regression for Jaquez as the league starts to scout against him, but he’s now in the process of adapting to that pressure. Spoelstra would say to ClutchPoints that he is “due for some really solid basketball.”
“He’s been working at it and that’s all you can do right now,” Spoelstra said before Miami took on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night. “You know, he had a couple hiccups with, you know, minor injuries, one he’s just starting to carve out some rhythm, you know. But that’s this league, and you have to have some fortitude. And he does and I think he’s due for some really solid basketball, and that’s how you ultimately evaluate him is, you know, impacting the game. And I fully expect him to start doing it.”
Asked Erik Spoelstra about Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s progress of adapting as the league starts to scout and game plan against him.
"He's been working at it and that's all you can do right now…he's due for some really solid basketball…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/f3ncivgLqr
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 20, 2024
Jaquez would be setback by injuries this season, one being an unlucky ankle issue where he landed awkwardly on a defender, which combining that with the league working hard to figure him out is not the best combination.
Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. speaks on other teams scouting against him
The 23-year-old would say after Thursday’s practice that it’s his “job” to jump over the hurdles of the opposing team’s adjustments.
“I think, you know, within the league, you have a good year. You know, people are going to take notice,” Jaquez said. “People are gonna start to scout, people are gonna start to adjust to what you got going on. As players, it’s our jobs to, you know, trying to make their adjustments not work.”
Jaime Jaquez Jr. talks about his sophomore season and how teams have been scouting him more this season compared to last. #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/ANowc5MSOG
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 19, 2024
Last season, Jaquez came onto the scene as a rookie, especially when filling in for Heat star Jimmy Butler, whom the two share similar playstyles on offense, using their physicality to get themselves the advantage in the paint. It would lead to back-to-back Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month honors and a spot on the NBA’s All-Rookie first team.
Jaquez would tell ClutchPoints that he takes it as a “sign of respect” that teams are taking the time to put himself on the scouting report, citing that if not, “that’s a bigger problem.”
“Yeah, of course,” Jaquez said when asked if there is an appreciation that other teams are working to stifle him. “I mean, anytime you get scouted and on the other team’s scouting report, that’s a sign of respect. I think if you’re not on the scout report, then you know, that’s a bigger problem.”
Asked Jaime Jaquez Jr. if there is a sense of appreciation that teams are scouting him:
"It's a sign of respect…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/s0WIs6K29j
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) December 19, 2024
At any rate, the team is 13-10 before Friday night’s game which puts them sixth in the East as the Heat look to beat the Thunder, bouncing back after Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons.
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