The Miami Heat faced another setback as forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. left their 125-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on January 3 due to an injury. Jaquez exited the game early with a sprained right ankle after stepping on the foot of Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. Following the game, Jaquez provided insight into the nature of his injury.

“I think I tweaked it a little bit on his (Randle’s) foot,” Jaquez said. “Tried to tape it up, go back … just wasn’t feeling right.”

The Heat are currently in the middle of a back-to-back schedule, with the next game against the New Orleans Pelicans on January 4. Whether Jaquez will play in that game remains uncertain and is likely to be a game-time decision.

“I gotta see in the morning,” Jaquez said. “These things take time to heal. Kind of like what happened last time when I had this little tweak. You really know the next day. The next day is a good indicator of where you sit.”

Jaquez contributed 6 points and 3 rebounds in 10 minutes during the game. Despite the 10-point loss, he finished with a plus/minus of +8, showing his impact on the court.

Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra addressed Jaquez’s injury during his post-game press conference, expressing cautious optimism about the severity of the injury.

“We’ll find out, you never know with these things until the next day,” Spoelstra said. “I mean, he’s not walking out of here in a boot, but I don’t know if that’s an indication of anything.”

The Miami Heat experienced multiple injuries during the game:

Jaime Jaquez was the only Miami Heat player who did not return to the game, but several other players sustained injuries. Guard Norman Powell left the game early in the first quarter due to right leg soreness before returning later. He played 25 minutes, the fewest since November 21.

“He trusts his body and knows his body better than anybody,” Erik Spoelstra said. “He said he was good and passed the protocols once he got back to the locker room.”

Heat forward Nikola Jovic appeared to suffer a groin injury when he was kneed while attempting to block a shot. Although he limped around the court, he was not given an official injury designation.

Injuries have been a recurring issue for the Heat this season, with several key players missing time at different points. Guards Tyler Herro and Pelle Larsson both sat out the game due to injuries, with Herro having no set return timeline.

Larsson was listed as questionable but was ruled out before the game. It is possible he could play against the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Miami Heat’s Win Streak Comes to an End

Adding to the challenges, the Miami Heat’s four-game win streak came to an end. The game remained competitive, with the Heat leading 74-73 as late as 3:48 in the third quarter. However, the Timberwolves dominated the fourth quarter to pull away.

“It was a couple stagnant plays and turnovers,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said. “In order to be great, you have to keep your turnovers down.”

The team has an opportunity to regain momentum on January 4 when they face the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans currently hold the worst record in the Western Conference at 8-28 and have lost six games in a row.