Miami Heat Playoffs: ‘More Meat On The Bone’ For Bam Adebayo

The Miami Heat should be heading into Sunday night’s Game 4 against Philadelphia with one thing on their minds. To get a win in Philadelphia, splitting the initial away set of games in their second-round NBA Playoffs series, would set them up at 3-1 to be able to finish things in their own building.

In order to do that though, they will need everyone to play like the best versions of themselves or at least, close to it. While Jimmy Butler needs to keep doing what he’s doing and guys like Kyle Lowry could look to shoot their shots, Bam Adebayo also has more room to grow in between Game 3’s showing and Game 4.

When you look at the first two games of this series, without Joel Embiid on the floor, Adebayo averaged 23.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game on over 70 percent shooting from the field, which came by way of 10.5 field-goal attempts as well.

Though he still got close to that number in Game 3, with nine attempts, he didn’t approach those raw figures on the stat sheet, finishing with just nine points, three rebounds, and an assist.

The Miami Heat need to take Game 4 in Philly to keep control of their second-round series. However, they will need a bit more from Bam Adebayo to do it.

Now, the numbers don’t tell the whole story, as numbers without context is a farce, however, there are a couple of deeper takeaways from it all.

First off, you can’t totally write off his game as bad based on the counting stat totals, as he does so much on both sides of the ball for the Miami Heat that is outside the realm of actually scoring the ball or shooting his own shots. There is another side to that as well though.

There were also times during Game 3 where Bam Adebayo had two or so feet between him and Embiid, only for Bam not to even look at the rim. You totally understand not “forcing” it, but in a game where the Heat are having their second-worst offensive showing of the year, you have to press the issue a bit.

There is also the fact that, classically, Bam isn’t his absolute best against athletic dudes with size, such as Joel Embiid or what DeAndre Jordan used to be in his prime. However, there is still meat on the bone, offensively, that Bam can devour.

He has to attack Joel more, plain and simple, even if his shot isn’t falling. The attack, in itself, adds value to the Miami Heat as it takes something away from Embiid or at the very worst, allows him to be more manipulatable for the defense.

That’s especially with him not being 100 percent.

Only Game 4 can tell though. But, if they want to handle their business as quickly as possible here, while also looking to win it all, they’ll need that, at least, from their big man.