Getty Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent scored a career-high 26 points against the Sixers on December 15 in Philadelphia.
Gabe Vincent wasn’t lacking in confidence on Wednesday in Philadelphia. In a game the under-manned Miami Heat needed to win – and one they almost choked away – the undrafted guard played with ice in his veins. And hit the biggest shot of the night.
Vincent drained a miraculous three-pointer with 39.2 seconds left to provide the final dagger. The ball wound up in his hands on a rebound and tip pass from Dewayne Dedmon who had been setting up screens for Vincent throughout the contest. After the game, Vincent was more interested in talking about the veteran big man than himself.
“I told him the next dinner’s on me,” Vincent said. “I was surprised I was open half the time. He was setting great screens. I had a terrible turnover in the last minute of the game. He took a charge to save the day. I know I’m getting some attention right now for however many points I had, but Dewayne in many ways was a huge contributor to this game.”
Wow. What a job by Miami. Dedmon taking the huge charge and Vincent with the clutch 3 to salvage it.
Vincent had a team-high 26 points (8-of-16, including seven triples) and earned all the headlines following a 101-96 win. He was animated running up and down the court, leaving his hand up in the air on quite a few swishes from deep. None bigger than the one that bounced off Dedmon’s fingertips and essentially won them the game.
“We had the tip out. I had a look at the rim. I was open for a brief second,” Vincent said. “And I tried not to hesitate like I didn’t all night. I tried to stay aggressive the whole night. I took my shots when they came and it was just another one.”
There was one more highlight-reel play that didn’t count. He heaved a shot up from just inside half-court with 6.7 seconds left in the fourth quarter. It went in, but the shot clock had expired.
it doesn’t count but i don’t care. GABE VINCENT
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Dedmon Dominates Joel Embiid in Philly
Dedmon wasn’t just tipping passes to the perimeter and setting screens, he was also charged with shutting down Joel Embiid. You’ve heard of him, right? The runner-up for NBA MVP who might just be the best center in basketball. Dedmon dominated the matchup. It was just the way the team drew it up in practice.
“That was the game plan to limit his touches,” Dedmon said. “So, whenever I had an opportunity to raid him then drop force him off the block, that’s what the game plan was. So, I just did it to the best of my ability.”
Joel Embiid went 3 for 10 from the field when defended by Dewayne Dedmon last night
And raid him he did. Embiid finished with 17 points and 14 rebounds, but he had to work on every single possession. He shot 5-of-13 from the field while lumbering up and down the court on a bad knee and sore ribs. Head coach Erik Spoelstra credited the entire defense for clamping down on Embiid. The Heat went to a hybrid zone defense and trapped at times. The Sixers couldn’t figure it out.
“Dewayne is an experienced defensive-minded player, so that’s a good place to start with your defense,” Spoelstra said. “He got to some good fronts and made him work in the first quarter and had some good defensive possessions in the second half.
“We were trying to trap or bring an extra defender and catch him in his scoring area. Also, it didn’t look like he was 100% and all of that contributes to this and nobody feels sorry for us when we’re going through things and this is a day in the life of this Association.”
Winning plays from Dewayne Dedmon. Good trap on Maxey, gets back in the paint and takes the charge on Harris driving. Other end gets his hand on the ball and it goes to Vincent who hits another big shot.
Having Fun in the City of Brotherly Love
The atmosphere was raucous inside Wells Fargo Center, especially in the fourth quarter. It was hard to hear anything after the Sixers erased a 23-point lead. Thunder-sticks were clapping hard. Meek Mill was blaring from the sound-system, with the famed Philly rapper sitting courtside.
And fans were throwing shade at Victor Oladipo who sat in street clothes on the bench. It was the perfect scene for the Heat to play spoiler. Which they did.
“It’s fun. It was my first time playing in Philly with fans,” Vincent said. “It’s a great environment. We competed. We let them back in it. They rallied and they had a great run. We took some hits and we came out on top.”
🗣️ 𝙃𝙀𝘼𝙏 𝙒𝙄𝙉
A HUGE victory without Jimmy, Bam, Tyler and more as the Heat go into Philadelphia and win 101-96!
Vincent // 26 points
Robinson // 21 points, 8 rebounds
Lowry // 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
Dedmon // 10 points, 14 rebounds