Miami Warmth head coach Erik Spoelstra watches from the sideline in the course of the first half of an NBA basketball sport in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, in Miami. (AP Picture/Lynne Sladky)
MIAMI — The very first thing Miami rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. did when the schedule was launched this summer season was examine to see when the Warmth play in his hometown of Los Angeles.
The second factor was seeing in the event that they performed on Christmas.
“I used to be excited,” Jaquez mentioned.
And it confirmed. Jaquez scored 31 factors and acquired his first double-double, Bam Adebayo completed with 26 factors and 15 rebounds and the Warmth held on to beat the Philadelphia 76ers 119-113 on Monday night time.
“Nice to get a win, profession night time, Christmas,” Jaquez mentioned. “I grew up watching these video games and to have the ability to play and have a profession night time, I simply return to all of the onerous work, late nights within the gymnasium, getting ready for moments like this.”
31 & 10.
Profession highs in factors & rebounds.
As a rookie.
On primetime TV.
In his Christmas debut.
…what did we miss? pic.twitter.com/mNQR2zkEzs
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 26, 2023
Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra improved to 9-0 on Christmas, the very best file in NBA historical past for head coaches on the vacation.
“It’s an unbelievable honor and also you don’t ever need to take it with no consideration,” Spoelstra mentioned of enjoying on the vacation. “It actually does imply one thing. You’re considered as a contending crew, sometimes, when you’re enjoying on Christmas.”
Reigning MVP and two-time defending scoring champion Joel Embiid missed the sport for Philadelphia due to an ankle sprain.
Tobias Harris scored 27 factors for the 76ers, and Kelly Oubre Jr. added 25. Mo Bamba scored 18, De’Anthony Melton had 15 and Tyrese Maxey — who shot 4 for 20 from the ground — completed with 12.
“They made him work,” 76ers coach Nick Nurse mentioned of Maxey’s night time. “I do suppose that he acquired to some fairly good locations and simply sort of had a kind of nights. … Simply a kind of powerful nights for him.”
Let’s not neglect about Bam’s 26 & 15 monster sport as effectively 💥 pic.twitter.com/1eN6qDipZy
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 26, 2023
Tyler Herro scored 22 factors, Duncan Robinson added 16 and Kyle Lowry had 12 for the Warmth in what turned his first Christmas win. Jaquez additionally grabbed 10 rebounds for Miami, which held a 56-36 edge on the boards.
The Warmth had been once more with out Jimmy Butler (calf pressure) and in addition dominated out Josh Richardson (again discomfort) and Haywood Highsmith (non-COVID sickness) — then misplaced beginning ahead Caleb Martin within the first half to an ankle sprain.
It was 86-86 after three quarters, the kind of rating that implies it had been shut for a lot of the way in which to that time.
That was not the case.
Philadelphia began scorching, then Miami opened an enormous lead — helped by Philly lacking 14 straight pictures in what turned a 21-1 Warmth first-half run — and the 76ers then not even needing a full quarter to erase what finally was a 21-point Warmth edge within the third.
However Jaquez and Adebayo every had 10 factors within the fourth, and the Warmth escaped.
Solely six rookies in NBA historical past — Wilt Chamberlain (45), Walt Bellamy (35), LeBron James (34), Invoice Cartwright (33), Patrick Ewing (32) and Oscar Robertson (32) — scored extra on Christmas than Jaquez did Monday. Even Michael Jordan solely managed 30 in his first Christmas sport, which got here in his third season with Chicago.
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“He was powerful,” Nurse mentioned of Jaquez. “He made a variety of large buckets, once they wanted buckets.”
UP NEXT
76ers: Go to Orlando on Wednesday.
Warmth: Go to Golden State on Thursday.