Bam Adebayo is planning to play in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, he told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes on Friday.
"Yes, I believe I'll be in the lineup," Adebayo said. "I'm feeling better. I believe I'll play."
Adebayo's Miami Heat lost Game 2 of the Finals on Friday without him in the lineup. They were also missing starting point guard Goran Dragic, who is dealing with a torn plantar fascia. His status for Game 3 is not yet known.
Adebayo suffered a shoulder strain midway through Game 1, which the Heat also lost badly. In Game 2, without Adebayo anchoring Miami's defense, LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined to score 65 points. The Lakers dominated the game in the paint, and with no other defensive-minded big men on the roster, Miami's championship hopes rest on Bam's successful return. Adebayo acknowledged the desperate nature of the situation to Haynes.
"We've got to play with a level of desperation," Adebayo told Yahoo Sports. "That's what I see. We've got to be a desperate team and come out with a lot of energy from the jump. I'm confident we can turn things around."
Four teams in NBA history have won the championship after starting the Finals down 2-0. The Heat have done so themselves, as their first championship in 2006 came under such circumstances. The 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 1977 Portland Trail Blazers and 1969 Boston Celtics also did so.
But those teams were in better health than the Heat are right now. Even if Bam plays, there is no telling how effective he will be able to be. Dragic remains a mystery, and though he played well in Game 2, it's worth noting that Jimmy Butler twisted his ankle in Game 1. The odds are stacked against the Heat, but Adebayo at least gives them a bit of hope leading into Game 3.
