The moment wasn't too big for Vince Williams Jr.

The shot clock was winding down as Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr. drove to the rim and drew an extra defender. Alone in the left corner was Williams. Pippen fired a one-handed pass around the charging Miami Heat defense, and Williams calmly drained his fifth 3-pointer of the night to give the Grizzlies a five-point lead with 1:05 left in the game.

That shot gave Memphis (17-27) the cushion it needed to pull off a 105-96 win against the Heat in Miami on Wednesday night, but Williams' entire body of work stood out. He finished the game with 25 points, five rebounds, four assists and a steal. The wing now has six consecutives games in which he has reached double figures in scoring, recorded at least five rebounds and a steal.

The body of work is adding up, and it's looking like the Grizzlies not only found a second-round gem in the 2022 NBA Draft, but a cornerstone addition.

With Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. solidified as long-term core Grizzlies members, one of the most important pieces missing is a high-level wing defender who can knock down 3-pointers.

Dillon Brooks was once thought of as a member of that core, but his inefficient 3-point shooting led to his departure. The Grizzlies traded for Marcus Smart last offseason to fill a similar role. Smart has done just that when available, but he has been injured, is turning 30 in March and is in his 10th NBA season.

Plus, having two elite perimeter defenders is better than one.

Williams, 23, fits right into the timeline, and Wednesday's Grizzlies win against the Heat (24-20) was one of the best examples of why he's someone fans should be excited about.

Setting the defensive tone

Williams guarded Heat stars Tyler Herro and Jimmy Butler for most of the night. Both players finished below their season scoring averages. The Grizzlies' defense as a whole held Miami to 40.2% shooting and forced 17 turnovers.

The most underrated strength of Williams' defense is his ability to rebound. He entered Wednesday averaging 7.1 rebounds in starts this season. Considering Jackson isn't a strong rebounder for a 6-foot-11 forward, Williams' ability to snag boards strengthens one of the core's biggest weaknesses, and it's helping the Grizzlies win now.

Knocking down 3-pointers

Five 3-pointers made against the Heat marked a career high for Williams. He had six games with three made 3-pointers before Wednesday. Every shooter has a slump at some point, and Williams went through a seven-game stretch in late December where he shot 6-for-29 on 3's.

Williams has responded by knocking down 47.9% of his 3-pointers in the nine games since. The Grizzlies are 28th in the NBA in 3-point percentage, but it's looking like they have identified another knockdown shooter.

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Vince Williams Jr. expanding his game

One knock on Williams before he got a rotation spot with the Grizzlies was his limited playmaking. Last season with the Memphis Hustle in the G League, he averaged 1.6 assists to 2.1 turnovers. He's now averaging 2.1 assists to 1.2 turnovers, and those numbers keep trending up. He has at least four assists in four of the past six games. He had four assists and just one turnover against the Heat.

The next couple of months will be great experience for Williams in a larger role. Reps as a playmaker, top perimeter defender and big shot-maker are preparing him for what could be his long-term role in Memphis.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Vince Williams Jr. could be long-term core piece for Memphis Grizzlies