Miami Heat Anchor, Bam Adebayo, Currently 4 On NBA Defensive Player Ladder
Though the Miami Heat offense never got as stagnant as we can see it get at times, they were still only average on that side of the ball, nothing close to the pyrotechnics that the Hawks displayed on Monday.
But what put and kept the Miami Heat ahead was their ability to control the game and create opportunities for themselves on the defensive side of the ball. And that’s just what they did.
But here’s the thing. They are only able to do all that they are able to do because of the man in the middle for them, Bam Adebayo.
Though he is special on defense on way more nights than he isn’t, the Miami Heat are special on that side when everyone simply does their jobs. Now, you have guys like Jimmy Butler, Victor Oaldipo, and Caleb Martin, who are all overwhelming elite on that side of the ball themselves, but Bam Adebayo is just different.
And that is what is so shocking about his current ranking on the NBA’s Defensive Player Ladder, effectively a live and running tally of who can be assumed to be named the NBA’s Defensive Player Of The Year once it’s all said and done.
When you think about all that Bam does for this Heat team and in general, it’s shocking that he could be ranked behind some of the guys that he is.