3 Heat players who need to step up over the final stretch

With the second half of the season underway, the Miami Heat look to gain some ground in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Heat have been playing better lately but, as always, they have been dealing with injuries. When everyone is healthy, Miami needs to figure out a way for everyone to play with each other. Some players on the roster can boost Miami for the second half of the year. This final stretch of the season is going to be huge.

Here are three players who need to step up for the Heat over these next 27 games.

Bam Adebayo

Bam Adebayo is coming off an All-Star selection and had a good first half of the season but, at times due to his hip injury, he hasn’t always played like an All-Star on the court. If Miami is to climb into a better playoff seed, then Adebayo is going to need to step up his game offensively.

Defensively, Adebayo is world-class. Nobody should be concerned there. But offensively, I would like to see Adebayo take over more games. I'm not saying that Adebayo has had a bad year at all, but the Heat need more of those takeover games against top competition.

Getting a top-six playoff seed is essential. Miami is the seventh seed and needs to get out of the play-in tournament. If Adebayo makes another offensive leap during the season's final stretch, Miami will be a hard night out for anybody in the playoffs. Adebayo needs to be more consistent with making his mid-range jump shots and honestly, I would like to see him sprinkle in a few 3-pointers.

It's a lot to ask, but the Heat need the most from their two stars, Jimmy Butler and Adebayo, over this final stretch and to make an extended run in the postseason.