The Miami Heat made a bit of history on Sunday, as they booked their place in the NBA Finals for the first time in six years. They defeated the Boston Celtics in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals, 125-113, behind a huge effort from All-Star big man Bam Adebayo, who himself joined LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O'Neal in a very exclusive club.
Adebayo was the best player on the floor in Game 6, finishing Sunday's series-clinching win with a game-high 32 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists — a stat line that only the greatest Heat players have achieved in the past:
Bam Adebayo joins Shaquille O'Neal, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade as the only @MiamiHEAT players to record 30+ points, 10+ rebounds, 5+ assists in a postseason game. pic.twitter.com/KGCClY7kL4
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) September 28, 2020
That's quite a list right there, containing one current and two future Hall of Famers. The fact that Adebayo is now on this list with these legends at just 23 years old is an incredible accomplishment. The young big man has really come into his own this season, finishing second in Most Improved Player voting behind Brandon Ingram.
Adebayo's heroics in Game 6 were not a one-off this series either, as he has been amazing for Miami throughout the postseason. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the first-time All-Star averaged 21.8 points on 60.8 percent shooting, as well as 11.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and a block in 39.1 minutes per contest. The Celtics had no answer for his versatility, and who can forget his game-saving block of Jayson Tatum in Game 1.
Interestingly, LeBron is the only other active player on the above list. Adebayo will have a chance to go toe-to-toe against James and the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers in what should be an epic battle in the NBA Finals. The series kicks off on Wednesday, as the Heat take on the role of underdog yet again against a powerhouse Lakers side.
Follow Us
Subscribe