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The Miami Heat will be playing without a key contributor in Game 5 against the Boston Celtics on Thursday night. Gabe Vincent has been ruled out of the game with a left ankle sprain, the team announced. Vincent sustained the injury in the fourth quarter of Game 4 on Tuesday night after landing awkwardly while hustling to save a loose ball near the sideline. 

Vincent has been playing excellent basketball for the Heat against Boston. He's averaging 17.5 points per performance while shooting 58 percent from the floor and 50 percent from long range in the series. The loss is obviously a tough one for the Heat, who are already thin in the backcourt, as they're playing without Tyler Herro and Victor Oladipo. Oladipo has been ruled out for the remainder of the postseason, and there is no timetable for return for Herro. 

"There's no timetable," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Herro this week. "He does have the brace off, and he's able to do ballhandling and some shooting."  

In Vincent's absence, veteran guard Kyle Lowry will likely slide into a starting spot alongside Max Strus in Miami's backcourt. 

The good news for the Heat is if they're able to take care of business against Boston in Game 5, Vincent will get ample time to rest his ankle, as the first game of the NBA Finals is scheduled for next Thursday. If they are unable to pull out a victory, Game 6 is slated for Saturday night.