Making it work even when not everybody is available for work
WASHINGTON — “Next man up” has become almost cliché, as often utilized as much for motivation for those caught in a waiting game as those who actually get the opportunity to step forward.
For the Miami Heat, it hardly has been hyperbole this week, with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Kyle Lowry and Tyler Herro among those who have sat out since Monday.
The moments have been there to seize. In Thursday night’s victory over the Washington Wizards, backup point guard Gabe Vincent seized his moment, his 18 points six shy of his career high and five more than his previous season high.
“Sometimes I’m going to play 25 minutes; sometimes I don’t see the floor,” Vincent said. “And that’s just the nature of the game, and that’s the nature of NBA basketball. So when I do get my minutes, I just try to make the best of it.”
With Herro given Thursday night off to rest a sore wrist, Vincent expanded his game beyond his 3-point specialty, his 6 of 12 from the field including his first career dunk.
“I don’t think in any way I was trying to replace Tyler,” said the thirdyear guard who went undrafted out of UC-Santa Barbara in 2018, starting his career in the G League. “Tyler is a hell of a talent, extremely skilled. I was just trying to make the most of my minutes: Be aggressive where it was called for, take open shots, and just try to make the right basketball play every time down.”
While his dogged defense has kept him at the NBA level amid early-career shooting struggles, Thursday afforded the opportunity to also play in attack mode on the offensive end.
“I think Kyle and Jimmy do a great job of getting downhill,” said Vincent, who was converted to his first standard NBA contract in the offseason. “But there’s times where they need someone else to do that, as well.
“I think that’s something Tyler does well. So with him not there, I knew someone needed to also be aggressive and attack.”
Since recovering from a knee issue last season, Vincent has been wearing a somewhat bulky brace, making the explosiveness on Thursday’s dunk all the more impressive.
“He got a dunk. I said, ‘What the ... ’ ” Adebayo said with a smile. “He comes out with the brace and wants to dunk?”
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Vincent never escaped his consciousness.
“We went with a nine-man rotation,” Spoelstra said. “We were fully healthy at the start of the year, and it was really more just a numbers deal for him. But he stayed the course, didn’t get caught up in anything that could distract him. He prepared and was ready for his moment, and he’s produced.
“He had a great summer this summer and I think you’re seeing the result of a lot of work and health.”
More sought
Even with Thursday’s victory and the four-game winning streak the Heat carry into Saturday night’s
rematch with the Wizards at Capital One Arena, Adebayo said the defense still is concerning. The Wizards closed Thursday’s game .494 from the field and 15 of 36 on 3-pointers, done in by 17 turnovers.
“We have a lot of defensive lapses,” Adebayo said. “I feel like we recover because we have a lot of intelligent players and some of us are very athletic.
“But we’re just always rotating for each other, covering for each other, so that’s why it looks like we play intense D. But a lot of times we are out there figuring it out.”
Scoring binge
The Heat have scored at least 30 points in the third quarter of each of their last four games, with at least 60 points in the second half of their last three ...
For all of the struggles he has endured, Duncan Robinson has converted multiple 3-pointers in 15 of his 16 appearances this season.
Out again
Herro again is listed as out for Saturday’s game in Washington.
While Herro traveled, Markieff Morris (neck) and Victor Oladipo (knee) remained behind in South Florida for the start of the fourgame trip.