Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. is averaging 12.8 points during Miami’s first-round series.
MIAMI (AP) — The Miami Heat will be without yet another starter when they face an elimination game in Boston on Wednesday night.
Rookie forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. did not travel with the team on Tuesday to Boston for a Game 5 against the Celtics, ruled out with a strained right hip flexor. Jaquez Jr. joins Jimmy Butler (knee) and Terry Rozier (neck) on the list of Miami starters sidelined by injuries. The Heat have also been without guard Josh Richardson for months following shoulder surgery.
Jaquez Jr. left Game 4 against the Celtics — a 102-88 loss — on Monday night after suffering the injury in the second half. He had nine points in 22 minutes before departing, and tests on Tuesday showed the severity of the issue.
“Felt something give in the hip,” Jaquez said after Game 4. He said it happened early in the third quarter while jumping for a rebound and that he tried to play through the injury to no avail.
Jaquez — a likely All-Rookie team selection this season out of UCLA — has started all four games in the series, averaging 12.8 points. Only Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin have played more minutes for Miami in the matchup against the Celtics than Jaquez has.
