Apr 13, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) passes in front of Washington Wizards guard Bub Carrington (8) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Former Bruin Goes Nuclear in Regular-Season Finale

Originally posted on UCLA Bruins on SI | By Tom Cavanaugh | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Former UCLA Bruin and current Miami Heat shooting guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. just earned the best game of his two-year NBA career, netting a career-high 41 points with 10 rebounds in a 119-188 loss to the Washington Wizards on what was the final day of the NBA regular season.

Jaquez went 17-25, playing 41 points and scoring a point for every minute he was on the floor. He knocked down just two 3-pointers while going 5-7 from the free-throw line. A majority of his buckets came near the basket as he drove to the cup and was involved in a productive pick-and-roll game.

Prior to Sunday night, Jaquez's season-high was just 20 points as he doubled that and some. His previous career-high of 31 points came in December of 2023 in a 6-point win over Philadelphia. Jaquez had not shown this type of star power for a long time, shining through at last.

In just his second NBA season, Jaquez has taken tremendous strides as a professional. He is climbed the ranks of the Heat roster to become a mainstay role player off the bench, earning the occasional start with 16 on the season. He is going to be a vital piece to this team in the playoffs.

The former Bruin led the program to a Final Four appearance in 2019, etching his name in UCLA history. He was then drafted 18th overall by the Heat in the 2023 NBA Draft. He has not looked back since, continuing to progress his game and proving his worth at the highest level.

Being the final game of the regular season and the Heat finishing with a 37-45 record, they have slipped into the postseason as the Eastern Conference's 10th-place team, scheduled for a play-in tournament contest with the ninth-place Chicago Bulls.

Due to their previously determined fate of the play-in, several of the Heat's star players such as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo sat out of the contest. That gave Jaquez the reins of the team, shooting 27 teams, the most attempts he has ever taken in a professional game. He certainly made it count.

The Heat and Bulls will face off on Wednesday in the first of two potential play-in contests. The winner will face the loser of the other play-in game between the seventh-place Orlando Magic and eighth-place Atlanta Hawks. Jaquez will most definitely be on center stage after his latest performance.

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This article first appeared on UCLA Bruins on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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