Bam Adebayo, the one player who can prevent an historic Heat collapse

MIAMI — Bam Adebayo has entered the eye of the storm. He will probably stay there for the rest of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics. Should his Miami Heat get one more win, no respite awaits in the NBA Finals.

Jimmy Butler has established himself as the Heat’s postseason centerpiece, the team orbiting around his playmaking at both ends. But it is Adebayo, known for his versatile defense, who has become the team’s bellwether on offense.

The Celtics, scrambling to adjust their game plan and mindset after falling down 3-0, have targeted the Heat’s All-Star center as they’ve scrapped to make it a 3-2 series heading into Saturday’s Game 6 in Miami (8:30 p.m. ET, TNT).

And it has been working.