MIAMI – As the Miami Heat will face the Golden State Warriors without Jimmy Butler, Dryamond Green, and Stephen Curry, one star that will play is Bam Adebayo, returning after missing the past six games ahead of Wednesday's tilt. While the Heat's revenge game against Butler will be delayed, Adebayo's return is no doubt huge for the team, as head coach Erik Spoelstra speaks on what has stood out from the big man.

Adebayo is in the midst of his ninth season in the NBA, with Spoelstra having a front-seat experience to how he has grown as a player in this league. Spoelstra would say to ClutchPoints that he's been impressed with how Adebayo “continues to evolve” in the NBA, emphasizing being “open-minded” about how the team has utilized him, whether it be adding a three-point shot or being an engine for this new fast-paced offense.

It all helps with Adebayo's work ethic being “second to none.”

“He just continues to evolve and improve every year, and that's a credit to him being open-minded, and then also his work ethic is second to none,” Spoelstra said. “So he's going to get to work on things. And his versatility really fits with what we're doing right now, I think, probably more than ever, it plays to his strengths, because he can do a lot of things on a basketball court offensively, and this allows him to get to different parts of the menu as a playmaker, as a scorer, as an attacker, as a facilitator, depending on you know, what the possession calls for.”

Heat's Bam Adebayo returning from six-game absence due to toe injury

Heat center/forward Bam Adebayo (13) moves the ball against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena
Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images

With the Heat's captain coming back from a toe injury, there could be some questions about how his usage will be in the first few games, as issues could linger. Spoelstra would say to ClutchPoints that his minutes will be monitored, but the team will go off by what they see on Wednesday night against an undermanned Golden State.

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“We'll monitor it, we'll play him extended periods of time, and then we'll just evaluate as the game goes on, but he's done some really good work. And he's ready,” Spoelstra said.

Besides Spoelstra, if there is a person who has experienced Adebayo as a coach, it's the Warriors' Steve Kerr, who is also working with him as part of the USA men's basketball team, with the star winning two gold medals. Kerr highlighted to ClutchPoints how much of a “big fan” he is and the “versatility” that Adebayo has as a player.

“I'm a huge fan. Just the competitive desire, the versatility, like Draymond, he can kind of guard all five spots, and covers a lot of ground, play-making big guy, you know, off the dribble, he's got a really good mid-range shot, and more than anything, he's a winner,” Kerr said before Wednesday's matchup. “He's one of those guys who just brings the energy, the appropriate attitude, every single day to practice to games. He was just an amazing guy to work with in the Olympics.”

Entering Wednesday's game, Adebayo has averaged 19.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while shooting 45.2 percent from the field and 34 percent from beyond the arc. Miami had been 4-2 in Adebayo's absence, but there's no denying how crucial Adebayo is to the team regarding its rebounding, defense, and offense.