The Miami Heat were back at it on Saturday for a mid-day afternoon version of Primetime basketball. Playing on the national airwaves of ABC, they would face off against the same Milwaukee Bucks team they beat in their last matchup on Thursday.
And just like Thursday, both teams would be without several key guys. Missing Khris Middleton for much of this season already, the Milwaukee Bucks continued to be without their sharp shooting wing on Saturday.
And joining their second-best player on the pine would be their best overall player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who also missed the last contest on Thursday. For the Miami Heat, they would still be without Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry, meaning Gabe Vincent would again have the chance to start.
And speaking of repeat occurrences, again, Saturday would be no different than Thursday, in all facets. Just like they did down the stretch in Thursday’s game, the Miami Heat maintained firm control.
The Miami Heat got another needed win on Saturday over Milwaukee. And just like their last one on Thursday, Gabe Vincent was the star of the show.
Though the Bucks were right there in it, the Miami Heat never looked at risk of giving it up or anything. And for the final time, there was one more important “again” about Saturday’s game.
Setting his career high for scoring in the last matchup on Thursday at 28 points, Gabe Vincent would come out to try and outdo that on Saturday. Finishing with 21 points in the first half of play, Vincent was on a trajectory to obliterate the career high he had set for himself in the previous game.
However, he would only finish the game with 27 points, a point shy of his newly minted career high. Either way though, the impact was as colossal as setting your career high in back-to-back games would have been.
With him setting the tone for the Miami Heat early, everyone else was able to just play their games and let things come to them. Heck, Jimmy Butler sat the fourth period, while Bam Adebayo didn’t really begin to pick things up until the fourth period.
And though Gabe’s high point production will be the story, he would also add in five steals for a swarmy Miami Heat defense. But that’s just the point.
When the Miami Heat play Heat Ball, meaning with effort, grit, tenacity, on both sides, and with the ability to count on all their guys—things tend to work out well. That’s what happened on Saturday and what you hope to see more of as they tackle the second half of the season.