Ranking the Top 10 players in the Celtics-Heat first round series
By Ben Grunert
No. 9: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. won the first two Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month awards this season. While Brandon Miller may have put up more prolific stats, no Eastern Conference rookie affected winning more than Jaquez Jr.
With Butler and Rozier out, Jaquez Jr. stepped into the Miami starting five for the 21st time this season against the Bulls. He dropped 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists on 8-of-16 shooting.
Jaquez Jr. averaged 15.4 points as a starter this season. He became a fan-favorite among Heat supporters for his tenacious defense and his high level of maturity for a rookie.
After his team’s play-in victory, Jaquez Jr. spoke about guarding Tatum in the first round.
#Heat Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Guarding #Celtics' Jayson Tatum:
— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) April 20, 2024
"Understanding what spots they wanna get him into. Just go out there and be PHYSICAL and be TOUGH and play as hard as you can really."
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