The defensive-minded Bam Adebayo sometimes seemed out of place in an NBA All-Star Game with little defensive play. But the Miami Heat center is an All-Star because of it.

Adebayo’s style of play is centered on dribble handoffs, midrange shots, hard screens, rolls to the basket, and all-word defense. That isn’t the ideal match for an All-Star game with a lot of points and threes.

Adebayo only contributed three points to his team’s 211 points on Sunday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, as the Eastern Conference upset the Western Conference 211-186 to complete All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.

Adebayo, half-smiling, said, “Man, I got to get teammates that pass the ball, man,” before departing Indianapolis to continue a rest that will end when the Heat return to practice in Miami on Thursday. “The world is harsh.”

Adebayo concluded his third All-Star participation with a game-low three points and two shot attempts in 17 minutes, as the East established an All-Star Game record most points, threes made (42) and three-point attempts (97) by a single team on Sunday. In addition, he had two assists and two rebounds in the end.

To put things in perspective, Damian Lillard of the Milwaukee Bucks scored 39 points on 23 three-point tries to win MVP of the All-Star Game.

“Hey, man, pay attention. When asked whether he attempted to persuade teammates to send the ball to him, Adebayo said, “It ain’t that easy.” “I wish I could be MVP all the time, but sometimes it’s another guy’s turn.”

Adebayo’s All-Star Game habit is now this. During his three All-Star Games, he has only scored 15 points on nine shot attempts, failing to reach double digits in any of them.

Adebayo, however, has discovered that it’s possible to enjoy being an All-Star without having to win the game by scoring a lot of points.

Adebayo described the occasion as “fun” shortly after leaving the floor on Sunday. “I’m always fortunate to return.” I’m always grateful for the opportunity to attempt to establish this as a habit and to be in my third, seeing the players with whom I’ve entered the league. We’re still running into each other at this event.

sole six players in team history have been selected to the All-Star Game three or more times while playing for the Heat, including Adebayo, the sole representative for the Heat in this season’s All-Star Game. Alonzo Mourning, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James are the others.

Adebayo started on Sunday in lieu of injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Adebayo was first chosen by the head coaches as an East All-Star reserve. Adebayo joined Wade, James, Bosh, O’Neal, Mourning, and Anthony Mason as the only seven Heat players to start an All-Star game.

When asked what all of that ultimately amounts to, 26-year-old Adebayo responded, “Respect.” “Obviously, you want this to become a regular if you can visit it three times. You want it to happen annually. All that matters to me is the respect I get from the coaches who supported me and regard for my identity and abilities.

Even with his lackluster performance, Adebayo had one standout play on Sunday.

Less than five minutes into the game, Adebayo’s sole basket of the evening came on a pull-up after he inbounded the ball off Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic’s back and dribbled into the shot. Adebayo, who is 1 of 11 on threes this season and 2 of 29 (6.9 percent) on threes in the previous three regular seasons, made a rare three-pointer.

When the topic of Sunday’s three-point basket was up, Adebayo joked with reporters, “Tell Spo [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra].” “Open the video and present Spo.”

Adebayo has had trouble creating offense for himself in All-Star Games because, well, three-pointers aren’t part of his NBA job right now.

Adebayo has learnt from his three All-Star appearances that he belongs in the showcase event, despite the fact that he may sometimes seem out of place on the All-Star stage due to his style of play not being conducive to a high-scoring three-point shooting display.

Adebayo said, “It’s a stepping stone to what you want at the end of your career.” “That moment when you reflect and realize, ‘I gave basketball everything.'” However, at the conclusion of the season, you want to move up from All-Star to All-NBA, win titles, win defensive player of the year, or anything. Why not do something else because you feel like you’ve accomplished one thing already?

When the Heat face the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Friday, Adebayo—one of only five NBA players averaging at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists per game this season—will keep trying to achieve something more.

After losing in the first round of Saturday’s NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. said that Miami is more concerned with the next 27 regular-season games after the break than with what transpires during All-Star Weekend. With a record of 30–25, the Heat are now ranked eighth in the East.

“The real games are what really count,” Jaquez said. “So we’re going to resume our work,”