Q: Ira, Jaime Jaquez Jr. has regressed from his rookie season. His game and moves are very limited and he can’t make a 3-pointer. Nikola Jovic has fallen out of the rotation. When Pelle Larson comes back, is Jaquez next? – Joel.
A: The plot regarding the perimeter rotation certainly has thickened considering the recent play of Dru Smith. But in regard to your question, it would be difficult to argue against Pelle Larsson having given the Heat better minutes in recent games than Jaime Jaquez Jr., when Pelle has been available. Ultimately, I’m not sure that, in the end, Pelle and Jaime don’t both play and Dru goes back to being more of an open-in-case-of-emergency option. What all of this does is also remind that as long as Nikola Jovic insists he is a wing and not a power player, that his playing-time options will be limited. Unless Nikola plays big, it appears he will continue to be squeezed out. As it is, Nikola not only has fallen behind Pelle, but it is likely that even Alec Burks would be ahead of Nikola when it comes to wing options.
Q: Thomas Bryant played better than Kevin Love. – Ivan.
A: This was in response to Thomas Bryant getting rotation minutes ahead of Kevin Love when Erik Spoelstra cycled back through his reserve rotation Sunday against the Cavaliers. And, yes, there could be times when greater mobility is needed than what Kevin, at 36, can offer. Kevin has been candid about that, as well. Still, for all of the Heat’s desire to continue the development process with Kel’el Ware, including Sunday’s productive G League stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Sunday could have been a day when Kel’el could have stood as the best option in reserve of Bam Adebayo. In that regard, figure on the situation at backup center remaining fluid.
Q: Is this winning streak real? – Edwin.
A: We will have a better read on Thursday when the Raptors visit and see if lessons truly were gained from last week’s loss in Toronto, when the Raptors seemingly got to the rim at will. If this three-game winning streak is real, and if the Heat are at least a mid-tier team in the East playoff race, then the next two, against the Raptors and Pistons and Nets, have to be taken care of as efficiently as these last three.