As the Miami Heat lost to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, 138-135, there was a key absence in the game that caused a change to the lineups and rotation in Jaime Jaquez Jr., thriving in his third season. While Jaquez brings clarity to the Heat off the bench, he was out for Saturday's game, but his recent thoughts on the injury are ones that fans will be excited about.

Though missing practice on Friday due to a right groin strain that eventually kept him out for Saturday's outing, he would return to practice on Sunday. According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, he would say he's “very hopeful” to return for Monday night's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

With that good news, and being upgraded to “questionable” for Monday's game, he spoke after Sunday's practice about feeling better.

“Feel a lot better. Good day of rest, some rehab yesterday,” Jaquez said, via video from Heat Central on X, formerly Twitter.

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So far this season, Jaquez has made a huge impact being a central part of Miami's second unit, serving as the first person that head coach Erik Spoelstra calls to the scorers' table. Jaquez has been averaging 16.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 53 percent from the field.

Jaquez gave more insight into the injury, saying it has “less significant” than prior groin injuries that have made him miss time in the past, connecting the current one to happening during the Heat's 106-103 win over the Milwaukee Bucks last Wednesday. He said he felt a “little pull” in his groin on a play where he drew a foul on Bobby Portis.

It remains to be seen if Jaquez actually returns despite being hopeful ahead of Monday's game against Los Angeles.