Three Years Ago, Bam Adebayo Had Winning Block On Jayson Tatum

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo has remained the steady No. 2 option behind Jimmy Butler for nearly four years.

Despite Butler typically being in the spotlight during clutch moments, three years ago today Adebayo made arguably the most crucial play in the 2020 playoff bubble. After upsetting the Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks, Miami faced the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.

After Game 1 was sent to overtime, the Heat led 116-114 with less than 10 seconds. Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum drove past Butler, appearing to have a clear lane to the rim, which would have sent the game into double overtime. However, Adebayo came across the paint, blocking Tatum and setting the tone for the remainder of the series.

Miami went on to defeat Boston in six games but fall short against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals. The star power and experience of LeBron James and Anthony Davis proved too much for the then-inexperienced Heat roster.

Adebayo proved to be a pivotal piece not only in that series but throughout the postseason. He averaged 17.8 points and 10.3 rebounds on 56.4 percent shooting from the field.

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Anthony Pasciolla is a contributor to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram @anthonypasci