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Dominant Bam Adebayo Shows He Is Heat’s ‘Heart and Soul’ in Game 3 Win Over Celtics

In an Eastern Conference finals that’s been marred by key absences (Marcus Smart, Kyle Lowry, Al Horford, Rob Williams III, and now, maybe, Jimmy Butler), dramatic returns to the floor and all the unpredictability that’s lied in between, healthy stars showcasing their own brilliance somehow matters more than it already would.

For Miami, in Game 3, that was Bam Adebayo, a matchup nightmare who, at his best, can dominate all areas of a basketball game in ways both subtle and pronounced.

After he opened the series with a pair of duds, it was clear that the Heat could not advance unless their center started to influence the action with more force.