Jaime

Jaquez

Adebayo fell hard on his back during the second quarter of Tuesday’s Play-In Tournament game while trying to save a loose ball. He was subbed out at the ensuing deadball, taken to the locker room, and never returned. He was eventually ruled out for the remainder of the game during the third quarter, leaving Miami without one of its best players. Jaime Jaquez Jr. started in Adebayo’s place to begin the second half and could see more minutes if the team advances, depending on Adebayo’s status.

Jaquez stayed hot after scoring 23 points in Friday’s win over the Wizards. This was his second straight 20-point game while shooting at least 70 percent from the floor. Jaquez has made a strong case for Sixth Man of the Year, and while he may not win the award, he will continue to be a pivotal piece for Miami as they enter the play-in tournament against the Hornets next week.

Jaquez is one of the betting favorites for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, and with good reason. More often than not, the third-year forward provides reliable production off the bench. His stat line against the Wizards did not include any defensive stats, but Jaquez shot over 70 percent from the field and finished two assists shy of a double-double. The Heat end their regular season with a game against the Hawks on Sunday.

Powell’s sore right groin will keep him out of Friday’s game, one day after he logged 17 minutes in a loss to the Raptors. Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will take on more prominent roles, with the former remaining in the starting lineup.

Herro is dealing with right foot soreness, and Powell is dealing with right groin soreness, so there is a chance that both players sit out against Washington. With Miami locked into the No. 10 seed, there is no reason for the team to play its stars if they are banged up. Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. should see more run if Herro and Powell have to sit out.

Jaquez had an excellent Saturday afternoon, as his 32 points were a season-high. And he was highly efficient, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and committing just two turnovers. Add in the assists, and Jaquez enjoyed one of his best all-around performances of the season.

Jaquez’s double-double was his sixth of the season and first in just over two months. Rostered in 36 percent of Yahoo! leagues, the Heat wing is ranked outside the top-150 over the past two weeks. Jaquez’s value has not been terrible, but the lack of upside does mean that he isn’t a must-roster player in 12-team leagues.

Jaquez was one of the few Heat players to be productive in Friday’s defeat, two days after Miami routed the Cavaliers in Cleveland. His 20 points on Friday were tops on the team, and he did so on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. Add in the assists and three-pointers, and this was a decent effort for managers rostering the Heat reserve.

Jaquez will be good to go despite initially being listed as questionable for this game. He should continue to occupy his regular role off the bench, which has been around 20 minutes during his last three appearances.

Jaquez, who has been dealing with a hip injury recently, is back on the Heat injury report because of a sprained right ankle. He logged 19 minutes in Wednesday’s win over the Cavaliers, with fellow reserve Pelle Larsson playing 34 minutes. A similar split in playing time could be in the cards for Friday’s rematch in Cleveland.