To sum up the P.J. Tucker experience, to appreciate that the statistical line of the veteran Miami Heat forward tells precious little of his contributions, is to simply rewind the video to the 8:52 mark of the third quarter of Saturday night’s 115-111 victory over the Brooklyn Nets at FTX Arena.
“It’s one of the best intangible winning plays that I’ve seen,” coach Erik Spoelstra would say after pausing postgame for a second look.
“That,” guard Duncan Robinson said, “was an incredible play.”
“I love getting my guys shots,” Tucker said.
And they, in turn, love the relentlessness of Tucker’s process, teammates’ Instagram timelines filled Sunday with video of the play that helped extend the Heat’s winning streak to five.
It started off a deflected ball in the lane, followed by a scramble for possession between Tucker and a pair of Nets. All the while, coming with the shot clock ticking down. Left to lunge while off-balance, Tucker, while falling, slapped the ball to an open Robinson in the right corner for a 3-pointer.
But it didn’t end there. Struggling to get to his feet as the Nets played in transition, Tucker crawled for nearly a quarter-length of the court to get back on defense, still off balance from his slap-for-a-score.
“It really was like a 30-70 ball,” Spoelstra said, with the Nets seemingly destined for possession. “When you replay it, it was just sheer force of will, to try to get any kind of hand on it.
“But then the IQ to be ahead of it, to see Duncan and turn two plays into one. To recover a loose ball, get you an extra possession, and slap it to a wide-open 3-point shooter, it was just heck of a winning play. That really epitomizes what P.J. is all about.”
No sooner did Robinson convert, then he pointed in appreciation to a still-prone Tucker.
“Yeah, that was an incredible play, to have the wherewithal to just kind of put a hand on it, put a paw on it, and be the first to the ball, first to the floor,” Robinson said. “And then he hit me right in my [shooting] pocket.”
It proved to be Tucker’s lone assist of the night, but one arguably with as much value as any of the Heat’s other 19.
“Oh yeah, man, P.J. is next level, man,” Robinson said, with the Heat next turning their attention to Tuesday night’s visit by the Dallas Mavericks. “He just doesn’t care about shooting the ball, doesn’t care about touching the ball. He just wants to compete and be gritty and win.
“You don’t find too many guys like that. And he’s super unique in that way, and just the ultimate teammate that you want to go to war with, that’s for sure.”
To Tucker, it simply was what the moment required, similar to the closing moments calling for him to take the defensive assignment on Kyrie Irving during the defensive sequence that sealed the victory.
“Man, I don’t care if I ever score,” Tucker said, noting his preference for moments such as Robinson’s 3-pointer, when he can assist the team’s young 3-point specialists. “I love getting my guys shots. I love getting Duncan, Gabe [Vincent], Max [Strus], all of ‘em. I love just getting any of ‘em, any of my teammates.
“I’m all about it, man, making winning plays, sacrificing your body, put it on the line to win games. That’s what it’s about: letting the guys know you’re going to be there no matter. Lay it out every night, that’s what I do.”
Even while battling through a knee bruise that briefly sidelined him during Thursday night’s victory over the New Orleans Pelicans and had the 36-year-old listed as questionable going into Saturday night.
“I’m working through it,” he said. “I’ve been fighting it for a while. It’s hard. Luckily the All-Star break is coming, so I get a little break.
“But I’ve just been working hard, trying to get better, fighting it. It’s an ongoing process. It’s not going to happen in a day, but it’s nice to get this break.”
