The Miami Heat have been shorthanded for a while now. Like— really shorthanded when you consider that they are still to be without their starting center, Bam Adebayo, for a month or so longer, have been down Jimmy Butler for about two weeks or so now, and are still without Markieff Morris.
Throw in the fact that they didn’t have Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin again for Friday’s contest against the Orlando Magic, then you really start to see how deep they have to go to compete. None of that mattered on Friday though and again, a lot due to Gabe Vincent but he had some help in that scenario.
Max Strus, affectionately Big Max around these parts, also came to play. You could tell that the guys were back in Florida, though not Miami, because they were extremely comfortable out there on Friday.
The usual suspects came to play. That includes Kyle Lowry, P.J. Tucker, and Dewayne Dedmon over this stretch where the Heat have been down a few guys.
The Miami Heat needed more big minutes and production for everyone with guys down on Friday. They got it too and in a massive way.
Duncan Robinson even looked to continue his resurgent and developmental ways, sinking two of his three triples, while still showing some of that other stuff that he has been over the last few games.
#KZSZN@MiamiHEAT | #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/lrDDA9IYPQ
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) December 18, 2021
Everyone came with their best stuff, including KZ Okpala and Omer Yurtseven. However and again, the stars on Friday were Gabe and Max.
Combining for 59 of the Miami Heat’s 115 points, they went a combined 21-35 from the floor and 12-22 from three. They made 12 of the Heat’s 19 threes on their own.
Individually, Gabe went for 27 points, two rebounds, and four dimes on 10-20 from the field and 4-11 from deep. Max went for 32 points, seven boards, and an assist on 11-15 from the floor and 8-11 from three.
Check out what Big Max had to say after the contest.
"That's the culture. We take pride in being undrafted..."
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) December 18, 2021
Max Strus scored a career high 32 points in Orlando tonight 🔥
He joined @EReidMiamiHEAT and @JohnCrottyHEAT in #TheWinnersCircle postgame to talk about his big night!@MiamiHEAT | #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/BIB6CD15Ax
They were both nuclear on Friday. It’s a proven fact.
You could say that they were the true stars, as has been said. However, the big winner on Friday night is the Miami Heat’s developmental system.
They are both undrafted guys that have come a long way in it. This is why.