The Miami Heat are coming off of a tough loss to the Chicago Bulls. Beating this same Bulls team in a tough contest on Saturday, one only made “tough” by the Heat, they had to have felt as though they would be better on Monday.
Well, they weren’t. Instead of allowing a massive comeback, as they did Saturday, they allowed the Bulls to hang around this time and then outscore them in the fourth, as they did Saturday.
When you don’t have a 19 point cushion to fall back on, that will get you beat. With that though, there were a few good things in that game, though not many.
One of the bright spots was the play of Gabe Vincent. Pressed into more action because of injuries to other players, Gabe saw a healthy dose of minutes on Monday night.
The Miami Heat didn’t get a win on Monday, but they did have a bright spot in Gabe Vincent’s defensive play.
In those minutes, he continued to be stellar on the defensive side of the ball. He has been that way since earlier in the season where he admitted to watching a ton of old game film on former Miami Heat player, Avery Bradley.
Though Bradley no longer plays with Miami, he had a huge impact on Vincent. Since that revelation to everyone else and to Vincent himself, he’s arguably been one of the Miami Heat’s best perimeter defenders.
That, in itself, is proof of one thing. When teams speak towards a veteran presence in their locker rooms, a lot of people are quick to write that off.
This, though, is the product of said “presence”. If that veteran, Avery Bradley, isn’t in that locker room, then it’s a fair question to ask if Gabe even discovers the tape?
That then speaks towards the Miami Heat Culture. Even in his discovery of said game film, how many other guys would have actually taken it to heart as Gabe did?
Even further than that, why hadn’t Gabe secured some tape from a defensive guard prior to landing with AB if this could be the result? That’s the impact that the Culture can have on a guy.
So, when you hear about a team signing a guy for their “locker room” or “presence”, this is the reason. While it comes to light in many ways, this is one of them and why it’s always key to have, at least, one in your locker room.
A little Culture never hurts either. Hopefully, the Miami Heat can remember that they have a little of it soon.