3 things the Miami Heat must do to win the 2023 NBA Finals

3. Duncan Robinson and Bam Adebayo need to take that next step.

Even if Herro does step his game up and provide help for Butler, those two combined aren’t precise enough by themselves to take command in the Eastern Conference. As such, it will be on All-Star center Bam Adebayo and 3-point shooting specialist Duncan Robinson to step their games up. That’s especially important for the latter.

Adebayo has proven that he can deliver in most situations. However, there have been times when questions emerged about whether or not he could be the next superstar alongside Butler. Those questions have not been answered yet, but he shouldn’t be worried about compared with Robinson.

For as good of a story as Robinson has been–he was undrafted out of Michigan in 2018 and is now on an $80+ million contract—there is a lot to be concerned about. Robinson has played through several cold streaks since his time in the NBA bubble, where several of his 3-point shots contributed to significant victories.

Ultimately, it will take a team effort for the Miami Heat to withstand the big names and the headliners that make up the Eastern Conference. They will also need some help with other teams defeating more significant competition that exists on the other side of the league.

That means both Robinson and Adebayo need to take that next step and fast.