NBA: Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s late work preserves Heat's win over Bulls

Miami reserve Jaime Jaquez Jr. delivered a standout performance, finishing with 19 points, 10 rebounds, and a key assist to help the Heat escape with a 116-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday.

Jaquez secured his double-double in the closing seconds as Chicago’s Coby White missed a potential game-tying three-pointer. White’s final attempt came after the Bulls rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter, cutting Miami’s lead to just one point with 7.1 seconds remaining.

Miami extended the lead on the next possession when Jaquez found Pelle Larsson for a dunk with 4.6 seconds left. The assist marked Jaquez’s team-high sixth of the game, while Larsson finished with 15 points. The duo was among seven Heat players to score in double figures.

Norman Powell led Miami with 21 points, while Bam Adebayo added 20 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Andrew Wiggins contributed 10 points. Off the bench, Kel’el Ware and Dru Smith joined Jaquez with double-figure scoring, posting 12 and 11 points, respectively. Ware also had two blocks as Miami limited Chicago to 39.4% shooting.

Chicago struggled offensively, with White making just 2-of-11 shots from the floor. Much of his 14-point total came from the free-throw line, where he shot 8-of-10. Ayo Dosunmu led all Bulls scorers with 23 points off the bench, while Kevin Huerter added 15 points and 10 rebounds. Nikola Vucevic also recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The loss marked Chicago’s third consecutive defeat.

Thursday’s game was the first of a three-game series between the Bulls and Heat. Miami will host the remaining two games over the weekend, a rescheduling prompted by a Jan. 8 postponement due to condensation on the court in Chicago.

—Field Level Media/Reuters