Copyright Sports Illustrated
The Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers are back at it in Miami on Wednesday night, yet the rotations will look a whole lot different for one side. The Cavs injury report was quite lengthy after Monday night's wild finish before Andrew Wiggins flushed it down at the buzzer to take down Cleveland. They will be without Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, Max Strus, and Jaylon Tyson, while Larry Nance Jr remains questionable. A depleted team on the other side, yet Miami can't take opportunities like this for granted. Funny enough, the Heat are depleted themselves, yet it hasn't seemed that way to start the year. So let's discuss three keys to this match-up: 1. A De'Andre Hunter gameplan. It's easy to get caught off guard against a team that has nothing to lose after being clearly undermanned. There isn't a direct defensive gameplan to stop the team's number one option, leading to you getting hurt from the edges from three. Yet it helps when that injury report comes out more than 24 hours before the game rather than an hour and a half prior. The Heat went through a practice yesterday, and had time to form a defensive approach against the De'Andre Hunter led Cavs. He's somebody that has hurt Miami in the past, and his paint touches are one of their primary ways to generate offense with this roster tonight. So if the Heat can turn the water off on that early, it can set the tone on that end of the floor. 2. Let the Jaime Jaquez sixth man of the year run continue. Jaime Jaquez Jr has been as consistent as ever for the Miami Heat this season. But even while finding success against pretty much any coverage and match-up, there are simply just some nights where you know Jaquez will be able to find his scoring flow. A Cavs team that is sizing down from 48 hours ago with weaker overall wing defenders is just a clear pathway to another Jaquez display as he continues this sixth man of the year type start to the season. Isolation drives off the dribble and into the paint will appear much clearer than the ones clogged with both Mobley and Jarrett Allen on Monday night. I'd expect another running match in this one tonight, which should have Jaquez leading the show. 3. Could this be the night for a certain NBA debut? You never want to take a game like this lightly as previously mentioned, as there have been plenty of instances where shorthanded teams keep it competitive or even come out on the winning side. But if the Heat could find a way to take care of business in this game, could the Miami Heat's first round pick, Kasparas Jakucionis, make his NBA regular season debut? It's very possible. Many Heat fans are awaiting seeing their young rook in action as he put together a very strong showing in preseason against the Spurs, with 10 assists. His passing upside is clear, he has a natural feel for the game, and fits the Heat's current up-tempo style. If Miami can find some cushion, it would be nice to see Jakucionis get some run.
