The Miami Heat have made real strides this season when it comes to closing out games - a far cry from the struggles they faced a year ago. They’ve only let five double-digit leads slip away (tied for the eighth fewest in the league) and have blown just four fourth-quarter leads (tied for second fewest).
But Wednesday night against the Boston Celtics? That was a step backward.
Up 15 points in the second half, the Heat watched that cushion vanish in a hurry. Over the final 13:05, they were outscored 43-21, ultimately falling 119-114 to a Celtics team that flipped the switch late and never looked back.
That loss dropped Miami to 21-20 at the season’s halfway mark - not disastrous, but certainly not where they hoped to be. Still, there was a silver lining, and his name was Kasparas Jakucionis.
The 19-year-old rookie has been quietly carving out a role, and on a night when the Heat needed a spark, he delivered. Coming off the bench, Jakucionis poured in 12 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc, added eight assists (against three turnovers), and pulled down five rebounds in 27 minutes of action. It was arguably his most complete performance of the season - and head coach Erik Spoelstra took notice.
“That’s been one of the bright spots for sure,” Spoelstra said after the game. “He’s been ready basically every time he’s been given an opportunity.
He keeps on getting better. He gives us something different, particularly without [Davion Mitchell] out there.
He can make some plays and he’s fearless.”
That fearlessness showed up in the fourth quarter. With the Heat trying to hold off Boston’s surge, Jakucionis stepped into - and knocked down - a couple of big-time threes. Spoelstra praised both the timing and the confidence behind those shots.
“I love that he was taking those shots in the fourth quarter,” Spoelstra said. “He had a big three.
… Positionally, I thought he was in front of [Anfernee Simons]. Simons was just stepping back - he looked like [Damian Lillard] out there for some stretches.
But I was encouraged by Kas.”
Jakucionis’ season stats don’t jump off the page - he’s averaging 4.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per game - but the efficiency is there. He’s shooting 48.4% from deep and has a 55.0% true shooting percentage. The assist-to-turnover ratio is still a work in progress, but according to Bam Adebayo, the rookie’s mindset is exactly where it needs to be.
“He’s trying to do the right thing every play,” Adebayo said. “He’s trying to play fast; he’s trying to overcommunicate.
And when you see a young guy like that, he has a bright future for him cause he’s committing to what we’re telling him, what we’re asking of him. He’s going to get his turn at some point.”
There’s still room to grow. Jakucionis needs to tighten up his handle, sharpen his off-ball awareness on defense, and improve as a finisher around the rim.
But his on-ball defense has been a pleasant surprise - especially for those who had concerns about his lateral quickness coming into the league. In limited minutes, he’s shown he can stay in front of his man and compete physically, which is no small thing for a 19-year-old adjusting to NBA speed.
Jakucionis, for his part, is embracing the grind.
“I have to stay ready always,” he said. “And whenever I get the chance, I just try to embrace it.
Outside of that, I just try to be ready, work out and watch film and be mentally ready. … It’s basketball, so you just try to play the right way.
“I think we have crazy talented guys that I never played with in my life - that type of player. I’m just happy to be there and try to help them get in their spots and make plays for them.”
The Heat are still searching for consistency, especially in closing time. But in Jakucionis, they may have found a piece worth investing in - a young guard who’s not afraid of the moment, learning on the fly, and already earning the trust of his coaches and teammates. That’s a win, even on a night when the scoreboard said otherwise.