Kasparas Jakucionis is already making the Heat look like geniuses

"After not seeing much run through the first quarter-plus of the season, Jakucionis is making the Heat's patience look genius now that he's beginning to pay dividends. In what ended up being a disappointing loss for the banged-up Heat, Jakucionis, who got his first start as a pro, finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 5-8 shooting from 3-point range. Perhaps most interestingly, Jakucionis was the only player on the Heat with a positive plus-minus who logged at least 20 minutes."

"With no Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Pelle Larsson, Erik Spoelstra didn't have many options but to take the training wheels off of Jakucionis. And, boy, did it pay off. Heat fans got their first extended look at Jakucionis, logging 36 minutes against the Boston Celtics. While there were some rough spots in Jakucionis' performance on Friday night, there was certainly much more good than bad."

"After selecting Jakucionis with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, many were quick to praise the Heat for selecting another diamond in the rough. However, after a shaky summer league showing and limited time on the floor in the preseason ( because of injury), there still wasn't much evidence that Jakucionis was the steal of the draft that many believed he'd be. Until now."

Kasparas Jakucionis received his first professional start and logged 36 minutes, finishing with 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists while shooting 5-for-8 from three-point range. He was the only Heat player with a positive plus-minus among those who logged at least 20 minutes. Absences of Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and Pelle Larsson prompted Erik Spoelstra to expand Jakucionis' role. The 20th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft had a shaky summer league and limited preseason due to injury, leaving questions about his readiness. The extended look showed comfort and effectiveness, increasing confidence that he can contribute and deserves more playing time.

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