![\"Kasparas](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Screenshot-2026-01-16-at-3.25.46-PM-edited.jpg\")
Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis had 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds off the bench against Boston. (Mandatory Credit: Issac Baldizon\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/p>\nMiami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis had 12 points, eight assists and five rebounds off the bench against Boston. (Mandatory Credit: Issac Baldizon\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Unlike last year, the Miami Heat have done a decent job closing teams out when they\u2019re ahead.<\/p>\n
They have only blown five double-digit leads (T-8 fewest) and four fourth-quarter leads (T-2 fewest) this season. That wasn\u2019t the case against the Boston Celtics. They blew a 15-point second-half lead, getting outscored 43-21 over the game\u2019s final 13:05 en route to a 119-114 Celtics win.<\/a><\/p>\n It was far from perfect for the Heat, who dropped to 21-20 at the midway point of the season. However, head coach Erik Spoelstra continued to applaud rookie Kasparas Jakucionis, who was one of the Heat\u2019s best players.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s been one of the bright spots for sure,\u201d Spoelstra said <\/a>about Jakucionis\u2019 emergence after the game. \u201cHe\u2019s been ready basically every time he\u2019s been given an opportunity. He keeps on getting better. He gives us something different, particularly without [Davion Mitchell] out there. He can make some plays and he\u2019s fearless.\u201d<\/p>\n Jakucionis finished with a bench-high 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3-point range, including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. He also had eight assists (to three turnovers) with five rebounds across 27 minutes. <\/p>\n \u201cI love that he was taking those shots in the fourth quarter,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cHe had a big three. \u2026 Positionally, I thought he was in front of [Anfernee Simons]. Simons was just stepping back \u2014 he looked like [Damian Lillard] out there for some stretches. But I was encouraged by Kas.\u201d<\/p>\n For the season, Jakucionis\u2019 stats aren\u2019t gaudy. He\u2019s averaging 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds on 48.4 percent shooting from 3-point range and 55.0 percent true shooting. He currently has a negative assist-to-turnover ratio, but he\u2019s still trying to make the right plays with the ball in his hands, according to Heat star Bam Adebayo.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s trying to do the right thing every play,\u201d Adebayo said. \u201cHe\u2019s trying to play fast; he\u2019s trying to overcommunicate. And when you see a young guy like that, he has a bright future for him cause he\u2019s committing to what we\u2019re telling him, what we\u2019re asking of him. He\u2019s going to get his turn at some point.\u201d<\/p>\n There is still plenty of room for improvement in the rookie\u2019s ballhandling, off-ball defense and finishing. Where he\u2019s impressed me most about him is his on-ball defense; I admittedly had questions about his foot speed in the pre-draft process, but he\u2019s quieted those in his limited sample.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Jakucionis is ironing out the kinks. It\u2019s all a part of the developmental process for the 19-year-old, who has appeared in 14 of the team\u2019s last 15 games.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to stay ready always,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd whenever I get the chance, I just try to embrace it. Outside of that, I just try to be ready, work out and watch film and be mentally ready. \u2026 It\u2019s basketball, so you just try to play the right way.<\/p>\n \u201cI think we have crazy talented guys that I never played with in my life that type of player. I\u2019m just happy to be there and try to help them get in their spots and make plays for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n To check out our other content, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter\/X\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Check out Hot Hot Hoops on Facebook\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n Subscribe to our YouTube channel\u00a0here<\/a>!<\/p>\n \t\t\t