The Miami Heat kicked off their 2023 NBA 2K24 Summer League with a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. After coming off of a tough loss in the NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets, the Heat looked forward to watching their young players out on the court. Forward Nikola Jovic and recently drafted guard Jaime Jacquez Jr. led the team to victory in their first time out on the court together. Jovic, who spent most of his time on the bench last season, looked very impressive throughout the game, demonstrating that with some more work, he could easily develop into the big that the Heat need. During his time on the court, Jovic posted 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists all while shooting an impressive 58.3% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Jacquez led all scorers on the floor with 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist while shooting 53.3% from the field and 42.9% from three-point land. Jacquez and Jovic’s impressive performances show a mere glimpse of what they are more than able to accomplish during their time in Miami, especially considering the team’s track record when it comes to developing high-level players. Jacquez could very well end up being considered the steal of the draft if he is able to bring the Heat the assistance they need in securing an NBA Finals win next time around.
The Miami Heat kicked off their 2023 NBA 2K24 Summer League with a matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. After coming off of a tough loss in the NBA Finals to the Denver Nuggets, the Heat looked forward to watching their young players out on the court. Forward Nikola Jovic and recently drafted guard Jaime Jacquez Jr. led the team to victory in their first time out on the court together. Jovic, who spent most of his time on the bench last season, looked very impressive throughout the game, demonstrating that with some more work, he could easily develop into the big that the Heat need. During his time on the court, Jovic posted 21 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists all while shooting an impressive 58.3% from the field and 50% from behind the arc. Jacquez led all scorers on the floor with 22 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist while shooting 53.3% from the field and 42.9% from three-point land. Jacquez and Jovic’s impressive performances show a mere glimpse of what they are more than able to accomplish during their time in Miami, especially considering the team’s track record when it comes to developing high-level players. Jacquez could very well end up being considered the steal of the draft if he is able to bring the Heat the assistance they need in securing an NBA Finals win next time around.
Off the bench, Chase Audige provided Jacquez and Jovic with an impressive amount of support, demonstrating his ability to impact the game even when not in the starting five. Audige finished the game with 18 points while shooting 66.7% from the field and 57.1% from three. More than half of the shots that Audige made were from beyond the arc, something that may prove extremely valuable to the Heat who pride themselves on a high-octane 3-and-D style of play. Drew Peterson and Orlando Robinson also scored 13 points each, adding to the Heat’s dominant performance over the Lakers, landing them a 107-90 win.
While the Heat’s young players show a lot of promise, trade rumors regarding the acquisition of star point guard Damian Lillard leave the final roster with a sense of ambiguity. The ideal roster would retain both Jacquez and Jovic, yet the Trailblazers are understandably set on receiving as much as they can in return for their star. If the Miami Heat are able to acquire Damian Lillard while keeping both Jacquez and Jovic, the team has an extremely good shot at being right back in the 2023-2024 NBA Finals.
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For more sports coverage on the MLB, NBA, NFL, and NCAA, contact Cameron Williams by phone at 305-632-4441 or via email at cameronwilliams@wepa.fm
