Three seasons into their four-year reign of terror on the rest of the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat discovered that in 2012-13, the ceiling of their greatness was prepared to elevate to even loftier, seldom-reached heights. Honorably fearless during test No. 2 against the NBA’s then-defending champions, Andre Drummond used the night’s high-profile matchups to show that his ascension wouldn’t be one worth overlooking, either. Gripping tight a five-point edge in the second frame, the 2012 No. 9 selection commands the scene, smoothly synchronizing a defensive rotation to meet Shane Battier at the summit for a powerful block-and-rebound, setting up the Detroit Pistons’ fastbreak attack. Ultimately graduating into one of the modern generation’s most reliable double-double machines, Drummond was productive during his extended look, recording an efficient six-point, seven-rebound, one-assist, three-steal, two-block outing. The night’s recaps fondly remembered Drummond for routinely stepping to the task of guarding even Miami’s Hall of Fame-bound talents with veteran-like success. By season’s end, Drummond would reap fruits that included a No. 2 finish among rookies in blocks (95) and a fourth-place nod in the 2012-13 Rookie of the Year battle. · Jan 26, 2013