Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. celebrates after a play during the second half of an NBA basketball play-in tournament game against the Chicago Bulls, Friday, April 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
MIAMI — The Miami Heat will be without yet another starter when they face an elimination game in Boston on Wednesday night.
Rookie forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not travel with the team on Tuesday to Boston for a Game 5 against the Celtics, ruled out with a strained right hip flexor. Jaquez Jr. joins Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck) on the list of Miami starters sidelined by injuries.
The Heat have also been without guard Josh Richardson for months following shoulder surgery.
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Jaquez Jr. left Game 4 against the Celtics — a 102-88 loss — on Monday night after suffering the injury in the second half. He had nine points in 22 minutes before departing, and tests on Tuesday showed the severity of the issue.
“Felt something give in the hip,” Jaquez said after Game 4. He said it happened early in the third quarter while jumping for a rebound and that he tried to play through the injury to no avail.
Jaquez — a likely All-Rookie team selection this season out of UCLA — has started all four games in the series, averaging 12.8 points. Only Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin have played more minutes for Miami in the matchup against the Celtics than Jaquez has.
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The Heat haven’t been at full strength at any point in the series, one where Boston holds a 3-1 lead and can clinch a spot in the second round with a win on Wednesday.
Butler and Rozier have not played in the series, and Heat guard Duncan Robinson — the team’s all-time leader in 3-pointers — is dealing with a back problem and has been limited to an average of about 10 minutes per game.