NBA Playoffs: Heat Rookie Jaime Jaquez to Play Significant Role Against Celtics

Despite being in his first NBA season, Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez will have to step up in the absence of Jimmy Butler in the first round against the Celtics.

The Miami Heat have the odds stacked against them in the first round of the playoffs. Not only are they taking on the No. 1 seeded Boston Celtics, who had the NBA’s best record in the regular season by far, but the Heat will also be without Jimmy Butler due to injury.

As such, the Miami roster will collectively need to  step up in his absence. It will take more than just one player playing better to fill his void, but if there’s one individual who is going to be tasked with carrying the majority of Butler’s responsibilities, it might just be rookie Jaime Jaquez. 

In the regular season, Jaquez produced 11.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest while shooting 48.9% from the floor. He’s a lock to make All-Rookie First Team and was one of the few first-year players this season who significantly impacted winning on a playoff-caliber team. 

Jaquez rose to the occasion in Miami’s pair of Play-In Tournament games, proving why he’s up for the postseason challenge. In Friday’s elimination game against the Chicago Bulls, he scored 21 points on 50% shooting to go along with six rebounds and six assists. 

But the true playoffs will be a completely different challenge. The Celtics are the favorite to win the NBA Finals this season and the Heat kick off the series against them on Sunday. Again, with Butler out for several weeks it’s now or never. It’s certainly unfair to expect a rookie to fill the shoes of a player as good as Butler, but Jaquez isn’t an ordinary first-year player. He may not match his production one-for-one, but don’t be surprised if the UCLA product takes his play to an entirely new level during this series. 

In all likelihood, Miami gets beat in the first round. Even then, this is a great test for Jaquez and will prove to be a valuable experience that will help him become a better player long-term. 

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