MIAMI – Observations and other notes of interest from Sunday night’s 115-107 victory over the New York Knicks:
– This Jaime Jaquez Jr. thing is real.
– Cast one moment Sunday at power forward.
– Another at point guard.
– Versatility on demand.
– And efficient versatility.
– He has made it very easy at the start of this season to forget who he is not.
– (Enough about the 3s.)
– (And enough about the comparisons to Jimmy Butler.)
– He has made it about what he stands as.
– An embraceable attacking presence.
– The very type of energy this roster and this system needs.
– Of all the factors in the Heat’s opening week, Jaquez might be the most encouraging.
– The Heat for the second consecutive game opened with a lineup of Kel’el Ware, Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell.
– With Miles McBride not with the team due to personal reasons, the Knicks opened with a lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns and Ariel Hukporti.
– Inactive for Heat were Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakucionis, Terry Rozier, Vlad Goldin and Myron Gardner.
– That saved the Heat one game apiece on their limit for two-way players Goldin and Gardner.
– Jahmir Young was the lone active Heat two-way player, with only 12 in uniform, three shy of the active-roster game limit.
– Jaquez was first off the Heat bench, entering midway through the first period for Ware.
– Dru Smith entered when Ware returned, after Mitchell was called for his second foul while defending Brunson.
– With Nikola Jovic third off the Heat bench.
– Followed by Simone Fontecchio for nine deep.
– Eventually the Heat made it 10 deep, when Pelle Larsson entered midway through the second period.
– Albeit only for a token appearance.
– That left Keshad Johnson and Young as the only available players out of the rotation mix.
– Adebayo in the second period connected on a 3-pointer in a career-best 15th consecutive game.
– Powell addressed the crowd just before tipoff, “It’s going to be a great year. Let’s get it.”
– Powell then converted the Heat’s first two 3-point attempts.
– Introductions opened with a chant of “Let’s Go Knicks!” that then was drowned out by “Let’s Go Heat!”
– Heat coach Erik Spoelstra welcomed the rivalry when asked about being poised for another home opener.
– “For me,” he said, “I think for everybody in our locker room, it’s exciting and it’s even better that it’s the Knicks.”
– Of the Knicks, Spoelstra said of the night’s opponent and Brunson, “They’re a well-schooled team. They know how to win games. So even if they don’t necessarily play well, they know how to put themselves in position to win, and that’s because they have an elite decision-maker that can control the tenor of the game at any point.”
– Spoelstra was asked pregame about the Heat announcing Saturday that longtime public-address announcer Mike Baiamonte would be retiring at season’s end.
– “My kids and my household, when we’re trying to leave or go somewhere, ‘Dos Minutos!’ in our house,” Spoelstra said of one of Baiamonte’s signature calls. “Yeah, it’s awesome for him. I’m happy for him. Hopefully we can convince him otherwise. We’ve got a season to convince him to stay.”
– Spoelstra added, “But, yeah, what an iconic voice. It’s been a lot of fun over the years. He’s really a special guy and I’m glad we’ll be able to celebrate him for a whole season. Kind of sad about it, too.”
– Former Heat guard Goran Dragic was among those in attendance.
– Videos in the first quarter honored Heat owner Micky Arison for his Hall of Fame induction and Spoelstra for two weeks ago being named USA Basketball Olympic coach.
– Baiamonte was honored with a video in the second quarter.
Originally Published: October 26, 2025 at 8:42 PM EDT
