Gabe Vincent expected to play in Game 6 for Miami Heat in Eastern Conference finals

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent is expected to play Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals after sitting out Thursday’s 110-97 loss to the Boston Celtics with a left ankle injury, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Vincent turned his left ankle in the fourth quarter of Miami’s Game 4 loss to Boston. He briefly returned to that game before resting the final 3:40 of a blowout. He was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report.

The 26-year-old Vincent wanted to play in Game 5, but the Heat took precautionary measures with a 3-1 lead in the series, sources said. Boston’s win forced a Game 6 in Miami with the possibility of a home Game 7 — and the chance the Celtics become the first NBA team to come back and win from a 3-0 deficit — on Monday.

Vincent is averaging 17.5 points (on 58/50/94 shooting splits), 2.3 assists and two rebounds in 34.8 minutes per game in this series. The Heat are a team-best +34 against the Celtics with Vincent on the floor and a team-worst -25 with him on the bench. Veteran point guard Kyle Lowry started Game 5 in Vincent’s place. Miami is a team-worst -26 with Lowry on the court against Boston and a team-best +35 without him.