BAM ADEBAYO SCORING 83 POINTS AGAINST TANKING TEAM IS UTTERLY EMBARASSING
Of all the NBA story lines currently energizing social media platforms and fans, the least compelling is the fact that Bam Adebayo scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards this past week. Pretty much everyone with a microphone or keyboard has weighed in about what should be an impressive accomplishment, but really isn’t. At all. Inevitably, people can’t help but recognize the math of how 83 is 2 more than the 81 points Kobe Bryant scored against the Toronto Raptors on January 22nd, 2006. But that cheapens Bryant’s greatness in NBA history, lowers the bar on achievement in general and is pointedly bad for the NBA brand.
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THE HEAT FORCING 83 POINTS WILL BE THEIR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT THIS YEAR
Now look, I don’t have a bone to pick with Adebayo or the Miami Heat. Bam helped get the Heat to the NBA Finals twice, in 2020 and 2023. But he’s not a champion yet, and is getting longer odds of ever being one. This year, the Heat are an ok NBA team, but I don’t see them getting out of the East over the Celtics, Knicks, Cavaliers and Pistons, and no chance of beating the Thunder, Spurs, or even the Nuggets in the Finals. The Heat aren’t contenders right now. So it’s not a stretch to say that this being the biggest story about them this season is just embarrassing. It’s not good for the Heat’s brand (outside of Miami, anyway) and it’s not good for the NBA brand in general.
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ADEBAYO GOT 83 POINTS IN 42 MINUTES, WITH 43 FREE THROWS AND CONTRIVED POSSESSIONS
Why? First, the game was meaningless. They were playing the Wizards, a team that is actively tanking for the next NBA draft. Second, the game was a scoring blitz with a final score of 150-129. Third, Bam Adebayo played 42 minutes in a meaningless game. Fourth, Adebayo shot 43 free throws, making 36 of them. Bam was the game’s scoring leader from the line, playing 42 minutes in a game the Heat were always in the lead! And fifth, the Heat as a team fouled to get more possessions for Bam to get enough points to break Kobe’s record.
It’s not quite as bad as winning a Solitaire championship against no one. But it’s pretty damn close.
