Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored a season-high 32 points, and Kel’el Ware matched his career high of seven blocks, leading the host Miami Heat to a 152-136 win over the Wizards on Saturday afternoon.
The Heat (41-37) also got 24 points and a game-high 19 rebounds from Ware. Miami led by as many as 35 points before taking out its starters.
Washington, which has lost 21 of its past 22 games, was led by Will Riley’s 31 points on 12-for-17 shooting. The Wizards, who have the NBA’s worst record at 17-60, also got 20 points from Sharife Cooper and 19 points from Jaden Hardy.
Bam Adebayo, who burned Washington for 83 points on March 10 – the second-greatest total in NBA history – was held to 14 points this time. The Heat are just 4-8 since he had his 83-point game.
Norman Powell, who leads Miami in scoring (22.1), missed his second straight game due to illness and fourth in a row overall.
Jaquez made 12 of 18 shots as part of his busy weekend. He plans to be in Phoenix on Sunday to watch his sister, Gabriela Jaquez, play for UCLA in the women’s basketball national championship game against South Carolina.
Jaime Jaquez helped UCLA to the Final Four in 2021, but his team lost the semifinal to Gonzaga in overtime.
There were 10 lead changes in a first quarter that ended with Miami on top, 36-32. Miami shot 57.1% and went 5-for-10 on 3-pointers. Washington shot just 44.4%, including 2-of-4 from deep, but the Wizards remained close due to a 7-0 edge on second-chance points.
Adebayo, who had 31 first-quarter points on March 10, was held to five on Saturday.
Miami, though, dominated the second quarter, shooting 68.2% to take a 77-57 lead into halftime. Washington shot just 31.0%. Jaquez led all second-quarter scorers with 12 points.
The Heat went over the century mark with 5:40 left in the third on a 3-pointer by Simone Fontecchio, giving Miami a 102-76 lead. By the end of the quarter, Miami led 122-91.
Miami finished with a season high in points. The franchise record of 153 was set last season.
–Field Level Media
