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MIAMI — The Knicks have succeeded by dominating most foes in the paint. Now they’re struggling, dominated by center Bam Adebayo.

Miami heads into Monday’s second-round Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead. And while Jimmy Butler got all the flowers for his Saturday return from injury, Adebayo’s all-around brilliance flew under the radar — though not among the Knicks he outplayed, or Heat he led to victory.

“The thing that is probably disappointing — not to our locker room or anything — is probably the average eye might not realize how dominant Bam’s game was [Saturday] to impact a win,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He was dominant. And the shame of it is in today’s day and age, people only view that as dominant if you score 40 points or more or have some kind of gaudy stat line.

“His fingerprints were all across that win, and there’s a way that Bam does it with his efforts, his intensity, that competitive spirit that inspires other guys to do it. You saw all the other guys contributing with these extra efforts, and that’s because when you see one of your best players doing it, your two best guys, Bam and Jimmy, then you want to join in the party. Bam has that kind of ability to inspire.”

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