Miami's rookie Jaquez Jr. explains how Heat culture is built for playoffs
Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Miami Heat have continued to both impress this season. After the team parted ways with a number of notable players such as Max Struss and Gabe Vincent, many questioned how the decision would impact them this year. With the postseason in sight, the team is sitting in seventh place in the East, and is likely to remain in play-in contention.
With the sixth-place Pacers sitting 1.5 games ahead of them in the standings, the Heat would have to go on a big win streak in the next few weeks to stave off a play-in appearance. Despite that, as we've seen in the past, regardless of what seed Miami is, they can always be considered championship contenders.
This, of course, is largely due to Heat Culture, something that has been a major talking point in past years. The way rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. sees things, Heat culture is built for the playoffs, and is a major reason why the team finds success year after year in the postseason.
He spoke on a recent episode of JJ Redick's Old Man & The Three podcast to discuss the situation:
"Really, everything is just of the playoffs and to prepare for that. And that kind of been the theme throughout this entire season. When coaches come and talk to me, they are like everything we are doing now for you is to prepare for you when you get to the playoffs, because that is the most important thing, just winning.
"That is what the Heat culture is all about."
Looking at Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Miami Heat's route to the postseason
As previously mentioned, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and the Miami Heat currently sit on the brink of play-in contention. With the team currently sitting in seventh place, should the team finish the season in the same spot, they would compete against the Philadelphia 76ers in the play-in tournament.
Of course, the Heat and the 76ers are currently tied with 38-32 records, meaning that things can change between now and then. What's unlikely to happen, however, is that either of the two teams falls int the ninth or tenth place spot.
With the Bulls four games behind, and the Hawks 4.5 games behind, the Heat and 76ers are likely to battle it out for the seven and eight seeds. Of course, when it comes to the play-in tournament, the seventh and eighth place teams will compete with the winner advancing to the postseason as the seventh seed.
The team who loses will then play the winner of the game between the ninth and tenth place teams for a chance to clinch a playoff berth. With the stakes at an all-time high heading into the final stretch of the season, the Heat, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. will both need to be at their best.