There was a time when Gabe Vincent essentially stood as the Miami Heat’s only point guard.
That time was less than two weeks ago, as Kyle Lowry worked through a personal matter while away from the team.
During that span there was a 23-point game, a nine-assist game, a stretch of five victories in six games for Vincent.
All while appreciating the reality that he was serving as a placeholder.
“I think it’s definitely a shift in mindset,” Vincent told the Sun Sentinel of moving back to a reserve role these past five games. “Well, maybe not mindset, but approach, more so, than anything.
“Obviously, Kyle brings a lot to the table and does a lot for the team. And when he wasn’t here, it was like a collective effort. I had to do a little bit more, Jimmy [Butler] had to do more. You go down the line. Everyone had to step up in their own way, as you typically do when you have a star player that’s not on the court.”
In his third season, and first with something beyond a two-way contract, Vincent appreciates that a bench boost likely stands as his ultimate value this season, something he showed with Saturday night’s 11-point effort in the 115-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena.
“So for me,” he said. “I think my approach is different in terms of now coming off the bench. Now it might be less minutes some nights. It might be no minutes another night. It might be spot minutes here and there.
“But I think energy is definitely a huge thing, coming off the bench and bringing that energy and that defensive side of it, that you saw me do more so early on in the year. Not that I ever stopped doing it, but it was more of a highlight of my game earlier in the season.”
With Vincent teammates Tyler Herro and Caleb Martin missing recent games, coach Erik Spoelstra has yet to be forced into determining a definitive full-availability perimeter rotation. But Vincent believes he has worked his way — someway — into that mix.
“I mean, I think I’ve earned that, more so than anything,” he said, with the Dallas Mavericks up next for the Heat, on Tuesday night at FTX Arena. “I’ve taken advantage of the time I have gotten, and showed that I can bring value to the court against anyone in any setting, whether it’s spot minutes or starting or coming off the bench, whatever position I get thrown into that night.
“Obviously, you always want more and there’s that ambitious and competitive side to sports, that we have. So I’m just sitting here, whatever my time is to maximize it.”
Spoelstra said the time certainly has been maximized.
“He really has improved and evolved,” Spoelstra said. “And the most important thing is he’s earned the confidence of everybody in the locker room, players and staff alike. He’s earned these minutes.”
With Lowry back, and with Herro having missed a pair of recent games, it has allowed Vincent to also play alongside Lowry, as he did earlier in the season when the Heat were shorthanded, somewhat getting back to his shooting guard roots.
“I think I’m always naturally aggressive, in terms of that, in looking to score and take advantage of those opportunities,” Vincent said, who again had a stint alongside Lowry on Saturday night. “I think it’s unique when me and Kyle are on the floor, because he very much so can do that, as well.
“So there are a lot of times you’ll see when we play together than I’m the one initiating offense and handling. And then there’s other times where he’s doing it. We kind of play off each other that way, knowing that we both can be off the ball and both can be on the ball, and it’s almost seamlessly the way the offense can run when we’re both on the court.”
So, no, certainly not competing for time with a 37-year-old six-time All-Star. But rather respecting the opportunity, learning how to be a better point guard alongside one of the league’s elite.
“It’s the leadership,” Vincent said of Lowry. “Even when he was away, we were in contact and he was coaching me up and telling me different ways I can manipulate a defense.
“He’s been a great resource for me, and he’s been great and huge for my improvement and development as a player.”
Which, Vincent said, will continue no matter his role going forward.
“I don’t necessarily worry about it per se,” Vincent said, with the potential looming season debut of Victor Oladipo also factoring into Spoelstra’s upcoming decision. “I just want to go out there and help out team win, keeping that as the main focus. Keeping our big picture in mind makes everything else easier.”
