Miami Heat | Heat’s Gabe Vincent as playoff leading man? Been there, done that (last year)

NEW YORK — The reality for all the “Gabe who?” on Sunday at Madison Square Garden in the wake of a 20–point performance is that Gabe Vincent not only already had made a name for himself with his play for the Miami Heat, but had made a playoff name.

A year ago, before the national glare eventually turned to the Heat amid their run within one game of the 2022 NBA Finals, Vincent not only stepped into the Heat starting lineup in the first round, but exited that round with Atlanta Hawks All-Star Trae Young pausing to compliment the third-year guard.

Vincent would wind up starting eight playoff games last season.

This season, counting the play-in round, there already have been as many postseason starts, including the spark he provided in Sunday’s victory over the New York Knicks to open this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series.

“It helped a lot, to be honest,” Vincent told the South Florida Sun Sentinel of last season’s postseason opportunity to play as a leading man, “just in terms of being in that position, playoff experience, minutes logged. I think obviously all of that plays a role to helping me now.”

With Vincent arguably never needed more than now.

Not only have the Heat lost Tyler Herro (hand) and Victor Oladipo (knee) during these playoffs, but coach Erik Spoelstra continues to measure the minutes of 37-year-old Kyle Lowry, who is less than two months back from missing a month due to knee pain.

And now the Heat have the new concern of Jimmy Butler’s sprained right ankle as they move on to Tuesday night’s Game 2 against the Knicks.

From undrafted out of Cal-Santa Barbara in 2018 and then two seasons in the G League, there now is the glare of Madison Square Garden.

In Sunday’s 108-101 victory, Vincent came out shooting, almost to an absurd level, with eight first-quarter 3-point attempts. But it also was a calculated approach. In the first round, the Milwaukee Bucks opened the series with Giannis Antetkounmpo as the primary defender, primarily so Antetokounmpo could sag off Vincent as a free safety.

“We frankly do need Gabe to be more aggressive,” Spoelstra said. “And he’s doing it within the context of our offense.

“We do need him to put some points on the board and at least make the defense play him. Maybe they make an adjustment in the next game. And he’s fit in as a facilitator long enough that he can fit in that role, as well.”

The lesson from those postseason starts last year is that every playoff moment matters.

“I think the game’s called differently, for one,” Vincent said away from the playoff media scrum. “I think it’s more physical. And I think, point blank, guys just play harder, overall, for the entirety of the game. It’s a lot more fun, it’s a lot more competitive. And I think it’s what guys wait all season for, or look forward to all season.”

With Herro and Oladipo out, with Butler gimpy, with Lowry’s legs limited, Vincent arguably is needed now more than ever anywhere he has played.

That has him on edge for reasons beyond the playoffs, knowing that foul trouble could leave Spoelstra without an alternative.

“Oh, 100 percent,” he said. “I think me, especially, it’s something I’ve been trying to be wary of and cautious of. I’m definitely on red alert now.

“I think I just need to be more technically sound, more fundamental. No less aggressive, though. And just go from there.”

Just as the Heat want Vincent to remain aggressive, having entered the league as a shooting specialist. His five 3-pointers in Game 1 were only two fewer than the Knicks had as a team.

“I mean the game today is so position-less,” Vincent said. “A lot of times I just kind of have to fit in the flow of the game. And sometimes that requires me to spot up most of the game. Sometimes I’m in a pick-and-roll most of the game. Or it might just be a quarter.

“The game changes, and it’s constantly evolving. Especially in the playoffs, every game is different.”

But what has been a constant has been Vincent as starter, in every game since Feb. 2, now 37 in a row going into Tuesday.

“Very comfortable,” Vincent said of the role. “Just do whatever our team needs me to do, and I’m sure multiple guys will step up and help carry the load, as well.”