Key Heat injury return needed to eliminate Boston Celtics, says analyst
Key Heat returnee Gabe Vincent, who will be returning for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, is a “needed” presence in Miami’s lineup if they have hopes of eliminating the Boston Celtics — this, at least, according to NBC Sports Pro Basketball Talk’s Kurt Helin.
“Miami needs him back if they are going to win Game 6 at home and end this series (the Heat lead the series 3-2),” Helin prefaced before saying, “Not just because Vincent has averaged 17.5 points per game this series, but because of his ball handling and shot creation.”
Vincent was the hero of Game 3, going 11/14 from the field overall and 6/9 from beyond the arc in a 29-point performance. The dominance displayed by the undrafted guard was the peak of Celtics sweep hysteria, and his absence in Game 5 led to a five-point, four-turnover outing from replacement starter Kyle Lowry.
The Boston Celtics’ silver lining in Gabe Vincent’s injury return
It’s objectively a good thing that Vincent is back in the lineup. Injuries are never the desired outcome around these parts, so the 26-year-old being back on the floor is the best possible scenario.
From a Boston Celtics fan’s perspective, Vincent’s return could be a net positive if the disruption in momentum leads to a regression to the mean after a 50% start on 22 attempts from the 3-point line in the first four games of the series. There’s no guarantee Vincent would be able to go for a regular game’s slate, and there’s also no guarantee he’ll be running around screens and keeping up defensively.
Ultimately, Vincent’s return could prove insignificant to the grand scheme if the Cs figure out a way to deliver on the expectations sportsbooks had at the beginning of the Eastern Conference Finals — a time in which ESPN Analytics gave Boston a 97% chance of winning the series — and handle the Heat with ease. With Miami at its fullest strength they can be given the April injuries to Tyler Herro and Victor Oladopo, the Cs could know they made the greatest comeback in NBA Playoffs history with minimal asterisks.