Bam Adebayo

The magical ride is far from over for Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat. The two-time All-Star and his squad announced with authority that last round’s improbable victory over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks was no fluke. Adebayo helped close the New York Knicks out as Gabe Vincent found him on the low block for a powerful throwdown despite Julius Randle’s best efforts to stop him, giving Miami a six-point lead with just over a minute remaining. Adebayo’s 23 points, nine rebounds and two steals were instrumental in the 96-92 Game 6 Eastern Conference semifinals victory on May 12, 2023. The Heat secured a 4-2 series victory to propel Adebayo and company to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they will face off against the Boston Celtics for the third time in four years. The series win marked just the second time in league history — and first since 1999 — that an eight-seed reached the conference finals.