The Miami Heat held their ground against the Atlanta Hawks in the absence of their superstar, Jimmy Butler. The Heat beat Trae Young and Co. 117-109 tonight to improve their winning record to 5-4. They are comfortably sitting in the 5th spot in the Eastern Conference standings. A major reason for Miami?s incredible win was the outstanding performance of their 22-year-old rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. He played the best game of his young NBA career, scoring 20 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds to help his team get the win. Jaime filled up the stat sheet to make up for Butler?s absence.

Here are 3 key takeaways from the Miami Heat?s big win over the Atlanta Hawks without their superstar.

1. Miami Heat?s depth still makes them the Beast in the East

Jimmy Butler missed tonight?s game because of some personal family issues. In his absence, the Miami Heat showed the importance of having a deep roster. Their rookie Jaime Jacquez Jr. took full advantage of his extended minutes in tonight?s game with his incredible performance. Other Heat players, including Josh Richardson, Bam Adebayo, and Kyle Lowry, also put up great performances to get their team the win. It was a great team win, and 6 players from the Miami Heat roster scored in double digits. Miami’s performance against Trae Young and Co. proved they are still one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and they cannot be counted out by their opponents. Miami?s next-man-up mentality and dedication to the Heat Culture has helped their team stay in the winning column despite losing several key players from last season, like Gabe Vincent, Victor Oladipo and Max Strus.

2. Miami Heat might need another superstar to win it all

The Miami Heat are famous for elevating their game come playoff time. Even last season, they made a historic run to the NBA finals despite being the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. But they might need another superstar to get over the hump and lift the Larry O?Brien trophy. Miami has made it to two NBA finals in the last four years but has failed to win it all since 2014. Pat Riley tried his best to acquire 7-time All-Star Damian Lillard in the off-season without losing many of his assets. But Milwaukee beat them to the trade and stole Dame from their grasp. Miami cannot rely on just Jimmy Butler to carry all the load in the playoffs. Either players like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro need to step up their game, or the Heat need to add another superstar to take some load off Butler?s shoulders. Miami might be just one piece away from winning their 4th title in franchise history.

Read More: Heat Injury Update: Why Is Jimmy Butler Not Playing Tonight vs Hawks?

3. Trae Young and Co. have shown no improvement this season

The Atlanta Hawks are stuck in a rut. They were one of the most mediocre teams in the league last season and won as many games as they lost in the regular season. It looks like they will repeat the same story this year. Despite Trae Young?s incredible performance, Atlanta has struggled to find any significant success. The Hawks are currently in the 4th spot in the Eastern Conference, but no one considers them a threat in the East. Trae is averaging 24.1 points and 10.1 assists this season, but apart from that, the Hawks have seen no upside. The Hawks need to make a big change in their roster if they want to take the next step and make a run for the Championship. They have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the past two seasons, and history might repeat itself if they do not improve their current situation.

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