This story was originally published April 6, 2026 at 1:31 PM.<\/p>\n
A fortuitous break in the Heat\u2019s schedule allowed Jaime Jaquez Jr. to forge a lifetime memory on Sunday.<\/p>\n
Jaquez traveled to Phoenix on Saturday and then returned to Miami on a red-eye Sunday night after watching his sister Gabriela help lead UCLA to a 79-51 win over South Carolina in the NCAA women\u2019s basketball championship on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
\u201cReally happy I was able to be there,\u201d Jaquez said. \u201cSuch a special moment.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gabriela Jaquez led all players in the game with 21 points, to go along with 10 rebounds, five assists and a steal.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor her to carve her own path was something,\u201d her proud brother said. \u201cHer goals when she was in third grade, writing down UCLA basketball player, and now she\u2019s a UCLA champion. Really happy for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
And Jaquez also was happy \u201cthat schedule-wise, it all worked out. I flew right after the game against Washington on Saturday, got to Phoenix around 10:50, saw some of the family.\u201d<\/p>\n
He arrived back in Miami at 5 a.m. Monday and practiced six hours later, mostly running on adrenaline. \u201cI feel like I won a championship,\u201d he said. The Heat had Sunday off, so Jaquez did not miss any practices.<\/p>\n
Jaquez would rank Sunday as Gabriela\u2019s best game that he has witnessed.<\/p>\n
\u201cGot to be No. 1 for sure,\u201d he said. \u201cShe had pretty incredible ones in high school. See her drop 50. This one, just the determination and the will in this game was unbelievable.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sunday also further cemented the UCLA legacy of the Jaquez siblings; Jaime previously helped lead UCLA to a Final 4 appearance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something that is going to stand the test of time, at least for my sister. Once you put [a banner] in the rafters, it will hang there forever. For her and our family, it means a lot to have an imprint on such an historic program and institution as UCLA.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jaquez needs 97 points over Miami\u2019s final four games to break Tyler Herro\u2019s record for most bench points in a season (1,162 in 2021-22).<\/p>\n
Availability update<\/p>\n
Guard Norman Powell has been cleared to play Tuesday at Toronto (7:30 p.m., FanDuel Sports Sun) after missing three games with a respiratory illness and one game while working back into game condition. Erik Spoelstra said he will be available. Powell has missed 23 games this season.<\/p>\n
Guard Tyler Herro, who missed Saturday\u2019s game for personal reasons, practiced Monday and is available for Tuesday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
Nikola Jovic, who sustained a sprained ankle on Saturday against Washington, was the only player who did not practice on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u25aa The three 150-point games in Heat franchise history have all happened in the past calendar year: 152 against Washington this past Saturday, 150 against the Wizards in Bam Adebayo\u2019s 83-point game on March 10 and 153 against New Orleans on April 11 of last year.<\/p>\n
\u25aa The Heat\u2019s 22 40-point quarters this season are the most in franchise history. Miami remains on pace to lead the Eastern Conference in points per game for a fourth time and the first time since 2013-14, LeBron James\u2019 last season in Miami.<\/p>\n
The Heat had never led the NBA in scoring; it entered Monday No. 2 at 120.8, trailing Denver (121.6).<\/p>\n
\u25aa Even with the 83-point game against Washington, Adebayo is a long shot to finish with the highest single-season scoring average against an opponent in Heat history.<\/p>\n
Dwyane Wade averaged 42.3 in three games against the Knicks in 2008-09. Adebayo is averaging 39.7 in three games against the Wizards heading into Miami\u2019s game at Washington on Friday.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s my Monday piece<\/a> with everything to know on the Heat\u2019s situation regarding the play-in, the playoffs and the NBA draft lottery.<\/p>\n This story was originally published April 6, 2026 at 1:31 PM.<\/p>\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773471612_67_IMG_Jackson_Barry_mug.jp_2_1_GDETHNSG_L434902367.JPG\")