‘It’s over’: Gabe Vincent-Max Strus exchange reveals exact moment Heat knew Celtics were cooked

The Boston Celtics put up a formidable fight on Monday night. This is despite the fact that Jayson Tatum suffered a game-changing ankle injury in the first possession of the game. In the end, though, their effort fell short as the Miami Heat ended up blowing out Boston on their own home floor, en route to booking their place in the NBA Finals.

It was still a relatively close game entering the fourth quarter with the Heat up by just 10 points. However, Miami went on one of their trademark runs early in the period, which allowed them to blow the game wide open. At the four-minute mark of the final quarter, Heat studs Max Strus and Gabe Vincent knew that the Celtics were cooked:

That’s savage. Then again, you have to give the Heat a ton of credit for taking out the Boston crowd from the get-go. The fans were fired up right before tip-off, but it didn’t take long for Miami to take control of the game. The supporters never really got into it, and as Strus pointed out, they already started exiting the arena with four minutes still remaining in the contest.

By the time the game was over, the majority of the fans had already left their seats. The Heat celebrated their triumph in front of a virtually empty stadium, which in truth, must have been a tremendous feeling for the squad. Miami knew they could win in Boston in this winner-take-all matchup, and they did just that on Monday night.

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RUMOR: League exec links Heat’s Gabe Vincent to LeBron James, Lakers amid looming free agency

Gabe Vincent has made quite a name for himself throughout the Miami Heat’s iconic NBA Playoffs run. So much so, that it seems he’s done well enough to be on the radar of opposing NBA teams as the 26-year-old enters NBA free agency this summer. Apparently, Vincent may have piqued the interest of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Vincent, one of the Heat’s undrafted wonders on their roster, is set to earn just $1.8 million this season. His current contract with Miami will expire at the end of this campaign, which makes him a free agent this offseason. According to an unnamed Western Conference league executive, a team that could be keeping tabs on Vincent’s situation with the Heat are the Lakers:

“Gabe Vincent from Miami, he is a free agent and could be had at a decent number,” the NBA exec told Jonathan Adams of Heavy Sports. “It is hard to figure where he ranks as a shooter, and the Heat might go out of their way to keep him, but he’s the kind of fit they need there in LA.”

As the executive hinted, the general belief is that the Heat will do whatever they can to retain the services of Gabe Vincent. The 6-foot-3 point guard is definitely going to command a significant pay hike in his next contract, and it remains to be seen if Miami will be willing or able to meet his demands.

Then again, you could argue the same case against the Lakers. It’s not as if this squad has a ton of salary cap available, and they too have a multitude of crucial personnel decisions facing them in NBA free agency.

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Heat guard Gabe Vincent drops truth bomb on winner-take-all Game 7 vs. Celtics

Monday night, the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics are gearing up for what many expect to be an electrifying Game 7. Considering how this year’s Eastern Conference Finals has played out, round three ending in winner-take-all fashion is the perfect way to cap off this highly competitive series, and shooting guard Gabe Vincent understands the stakes for each participating club that, frankly, go beyond just advancing to the 2023 NBA Finals.

When participating in pre-game interviews, the 26-year-old discussed the historical relevance of Monday’s affair out in Beantown and stated that, no matter the outcome, history is destined to be made.

“We’re making history either which way. What side of history do we wanna be on,” Gabe Vincent said, via Will Manso of WPLG.

Should the Heat win, they’d be making history as becoming just the second eighth seed in the NBA to advance to the Finals, with the first and only team to do so being the New York Knicks back in 1998-99.

However, if the Celtics were to come away from Game 7 victorious, they would be the first team in league history to successfully come back from an 0-3 deficit in the postseason. On the flip side, this achievement would also see the Heat making history, albeit for being just the first team to ever let up such a commanding series lead.

Gabe Vincent may have been present for pre-game discussions, but his status for Game 7 is unfortunately still up in the air, as he finds himself listed as questionable for the contest due to a left ankle sprain.

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Is Gabe Vincent playing in Game 7 vs. Celtics?

The Miami Heat are in the middle of their preparation for their biggest game yet of the 2022-23 NBA season, as they are about to face the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2023 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. Ideally, all hands will be on deck for the Heat, but there’s a chance that guard Gabe Vincent will not be out there on the floor of TD Garden to help Miami prevent a playoff collapse of historic proportions. The question is this: Is Gabe Vincent playing tonight vs. the Celtics?

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Gabe Vincent injury status vs. Celtics

According to the latest official injury report from the NBA for the Heat and the Celtics, Gabe Vincent is questionable to play for Game 7 this Monday night due to a left ankle sprain. It can be remembered that Vincent hurt his ankle in the fourth quarter of Game 4 and ultimately was ruled out of Game 5. However, he returned to action shortly after that, playing in Game 6 and scoring 15 points on 6-for-18 shooting from the field, including a 3-for-6 performance from behind the arc while also adding four rebounds in 41 minutes. Vincent’s heavy playing time in Game 6 offered a great sign of his availability in Game 7. Considering what’s on the line in Monday night’s contest in Beantown, it’s a safe bet that Miami will remove the harness off of Vincent and let him go all out on the floor.

Vincent has been an undeniable great asset for the Heat not only in the Celtics series but in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, thus far, Since the start of the postseason, Gabe Vincent has averaged 13.3 points while shooting 38.2 percent from 3-point region. He truly stepped up in the series against the Celtics during which he put up 17.0 points in the five games he’s played while making 50 percent of his attempt from the field and 50 percent of his shots from behind the arc. In the event that Gabe Vincent gets held out, the Heat will get Kyle Lowry increased playing time.

So, when it comes to the question of if Gabe Vincent is playing tonight vs. the Celtics, it’s looking like he is going to see action.

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Heat’s Gabe Vincent gets injury status downgrade for Game 7 vs. Celtics

Gabe Vincent of the Miami Heat is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain for the Monday’s Game 7 against the Boston Celtics, according to Alberto De Roa of HoopsHype.

The news of Gabe Vincent being questionable with a left ankle sprain is notable, considering he played in Game 6 after missing Game 5 of the series. The Celtics comfortably won Game 5 at home in Boston while Vincent was out. In Game 6 when Vincent returned, the Heat lost on a buzzer beater by Derrick White.

Vincent played 41 minutes for the Heat in Game 6, scoring 15 points on 6-18 shooting. Unfortunately, it was not enough to close out the series. Now, the Heat will have to win Game 7 on the road to avoid becoming the first team in NBA history to avoid losing an NBA Playoffs series after taking a 3-0 lead in the series.

After the Denver Nuggets swept the Los Angeles Lakers to advance to the NBA Finals, they probably did not think they would be waiting this long to find out their opponent. After players like Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart said to not let the Celtics get one win ahead of Game 4, the series seemed like it would end in Miami that night. It turns out that Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart were right, and now we have a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday night.

It will be interesting to see whether or not Vincent is able to play on Monday, and if he does, how the ankle injury impacts his play in a game the Heat must have.

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Heat’s X-factor vs. Celtics in Eastern Conference Finals Game 7, and it’s not Gabe Vincent

The Miami Heat will unfortunately need to take the hardest of roads to get that one more win they’ve been craving since taking a 3-0 lead earlier in these Eastern Conference Finals. The Boston Celtics managed to pull off the impossible and win three straight to force a Game 7 on their home floor Monday night.

It goes without saying that Miami will need Playoff Jimmy Butler to show up if it wants to make the NBA Finals. For an eight seed, the Heat have exceeded all expectations. They weren’t supposed to be here, but an underrated cast of characters led by Butler is the reason why Miami has made it this far. Bam Adebayo is also expected to play like the All-Star he was this past season. Though he hasn’t been playing well in these Eastern Conference Finals, Adebayo will still have some heavy duty lifting to do if Miami wants to play for a title.

With that said, the Heat will need an unsung hero to step up and be that X-factor in Game 7. Players like Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin have functioned as such throughout the playoffs, continuing to make a massive impact during against the Celtics. But for Miami in Game 7, its X-factor must be veteran guard Kyle Lowry.

Heat X-factor vs. Celtics: Kyle Lowry

Let’s just say it straight up: Lowry has been downright awful for the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals.

After opening the series with a terrific 15-point performance in Game 1, Lowry has averaged just 5.0 points over the last five games. He is shooting a putrid 33.3 percent from the field and 23.1 percent from the three-point line. He also committed four turnovers in both of Miami’s terrible blowout losses in Games 4 and 5.

The Heat will need Lowry to turn back the clock and be the productive and efficient veteran they’ve asked him to be if they want to advance to the NBA Finals.

Lowry’s initial move to the bench worked wonders for the Heat and head coach Erik Spoelstra. That move opened the door for Gabe Vincent, who has thrived as the starting point guard, especially in the postseason. In the playoffs, Vincent is averaging 13.3 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 38.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Meanwhile, Lowry has been productive and more efficient in a reduced role, at least through the first two rounds of the playoffs. In that span, he averaged 10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 44.2 percent from the field and nearly 36 percent on threes.

In reality, that’s all the Heat will ever need from Lowry — good jump-shooting, consistent playmaking and his calming veteran presence on the floor. He won’t have to play like he did when he was a perennial All-Star with the Toronto Raptors, though it would be great if he turned back the clock for a vintage performance.

As good as Miami’s unsung role players have been, they will need a steady hand to rely on. Though he’s already carrying a lot of mileage on that 37-year-old body, Lowry isn’t afraid to scrap, fight and get gritty.

Kyle Lowry certainly knows what it’s like. He’s a champion. And he’ll need to bring his A-game for the Heat on Monday night for a chance to return to the NBA Finals.

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Is Heat’s Gabe Vincent playing in Game 6 vs. Celtics?

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent missed Thursday’s Game 5 against the Boston Celtics due to an ankle injury. Without one of their starters, the Heat lost Game 5 by a final score of 110-97 behind a 24-point performance from Derrick White. So when Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and the Boston Celtics re-visit the Kaseya Center on Saturday night to play the Heat, every Heat fan will surely be dying to know: Is Gabe Vincent playing tonight in Game 6 vs. the Celtics?

Gabe Vincent injury status vs. Celtics

The Heat have Vincent listed as questionable for Saturday’s showdown with a left ankle sprain, per the NBA’s official injury report. In other injury news relevant to the Heat, Tyler Herro (right hand surgery) and Victor Oladipo (left knee surgery) will remain out for Miami.

Gabe Vincent, 26, is in his fourth year in the NBA, all as a member of the storied Heat franchise. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.4 turnovers, and 2.3 personal fouls per game across 68 appearances this season (34 starts).

The former UC Santa Barbara star shot the ball with great efficiency from the free-throw line in the 2022-23 campaign — Vincent’s 87.2% free-throw percentage was the highest of his pro career.

Expect the Heat to win Saturday night’s matchup against the Celtics, regardless of if Vincent is in the lineup. After all, the Heat have lost just one game on their own home court all postseason long. But with regard to the question, Is Gabe Vincent playing tonight in Game 6 vs. the Celtics, the answer is maybe.

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Heat’s Gabe Vincent gets official Game 6 injury update vs. Celtics

Gabe Vincent missed the Miami Heat’s Game 5 blowout loss against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night due to an ankle injury. He’s no star, but there’s no denying that the Heat missed his services in what turned out to be their second straight loss in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The bad news for Heat fans is that Vincent has once again popped up on the injury report for Game 6 on Saturday and at this point, he is in real danger of missing what could potentially be Miami’s last game on their home floor this season.

Gabe Vincent injury status for Game 6 vs. Celtics

Unfortunately for Miami, Vincent has not recovered fully from a sprained left ankle. The Heat have listed him as questionable to play, which is the same status he was tagged with heading into Game 5. Right now, there’s a big possibility that the Heat will be without their starting point guard again for Saturday’s critical matchup.

In Vincent’s stead, it was Kyle Lowry who got the nod to start in Game 5, and the veteran responded with another disappointing performance. Lowry played 30 minutes on Thursday but managed just five points, two rebounds, an assist, and four turnovers. If Gabe Vincent is unable to go in Game 6, it’s Lowry who is expected to start in his place again.

It goes without saying that a lot will be on the line for the Heat on Saturday. They will get their third chance to close out the Celtics, and they get to do so on their own home court. A loss for them, however, will allow the Celtics to force a Game 7 in Boston, which will clearly give Jayson Tatum and Co. a major advantage.

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Heat’s Erik Spoelstra reacts to Gabe Vincent missing Game 5 vs Celtics

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent has played at a high level all postseason long. He’s averaging 13.1 points per game these playoffs and shooting 37.5% shooting from behind the three-point arc and 89.3% from the free-throw line. Vincent’s ability to score the ball from all three levels on the court has been key to Miami’s deep playoff run.

But unfortunately, the Heat won’t have Vincent for Thursday night’s Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. The Heat have Vincent listed as out due to a left ankle sprain he suffered back in Tuesday’s Game 4 loss.

On Thursday morning, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke to the media and reacted to Vincent being out for Game 5 vs. the Celtics, per a tweet from the team’s official Twitter account:

“He is feeling better, just not quite good enough to play an Eastern Conference Finals game… We’ve had a bunch of other guys step up, and that’s what we need tonight.”

Gabe Vincent, 26, is in his fourth year in the NBA, all as a member of the storied Heat franchise. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.4 turnovers, and 2.3 personal fouls per game across 68 appearances this season (34 starts).

The former UC Santa Barbara struggled to shoot the ball efficiently from the field in the 2022-23 campaign — Vincent converted just 40.2% of his field-goal attempts.

Expect Thursday’s Game 5 between the Celtics and Heat to go down to the wire, especially since Vincent is out of the lineup. After all, Boston’s season will be on the line, so it will have a lot to play for.

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Heat’s Gabe Vincent breaks silence on missing Game 5 vs Celtics amid playoff brilliance

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent has played an instrumental role in the team’s deep playoff run this spring. He has shined on the offensive side of the ball. In this postseason, he’s averaging 13.1 points per game while shooting an efficient 37.5% from behind the three-point arc.

But, unfortunately for Heat fans, Vincent won’t be playing in Thursday night’s Game 5 against the Boston Celtics. The Heat announced that he will sit out Game 5 due to an ankle sprain he suffered back in Game 4.

On Thursday morning, Vincent spoke to the media and expressed disappointment in the fact that he will miss Game 5 vs. the Celtics, per a tweet from South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman:

“really unfortunate, for sure.”

Gabe Vincent, 26, is in his fourth year in the NBA, all as a member of the storied Heat franchise. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.4 turnovers, and 2.3 personal fouls per game across 68 appearances this season (34 starts).

The former UC Santa Barbara star shot the ball with great efficiency from the free-throw line in the 2022-23 campaign — Vincent’s 87.2% free-throw percentage was the highest of his pro career.

Expect Thursday’s matchup between the Heat and Celtics to go down to the wire now that Gabe Vincent is out of the lineup. After all, the Celtics’ season will be on the line, so they’ll have a lot to play for. But let’s hope that Jimmy Butler can take over during the fourth quarter on Thursday and lead the Heat to a victory and an NBA Finals berth.

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