There is a very strong argument that had LaMelo Ball not tripped up Bam Adebayo 11 minutes into the Miami Heat and Charlotte Hornets play-in game earlier this week, Adebayo and the Heat may very well have come out on top.
All of that is irrelevant now, of course, as the Heat had their season shut down for good, and now the offseason awaits. Adebayo is fine after the incident with Ball, but there's no conceivable way he's fine with how he played this season, never mind how the Heat performed.Â
The Heat have struggled in the regular season ever since their finals run during the 2019-2020 "Bubble" season, despite making another finals run in 2023. Adebayo has been front and center for each of those runs and every other season in between, but this one that just ended has to sting the most, and Adebayo has a lot of inner searching to do himself.
Bam Adebayo's record-breaking 83-point highlight night won't wash away 73 games of inconsistent basketball
That's what the majority of Adebayo's season was in the 73 games he played in: inconsistent basketball. For a significant stretch in December and January, Adebayo couldn't get past the 20-point mark consistently and struggled to carry the Heat offensively for large stretches of the season.
That said, surprisingly, he finished the season averaging 20.1 points per game, the highest Adebayo has averaged since the 2022-23 season (20.4). After a tough beginning, Adebayo did turn it up in the second half of the season, and especially down the stretch while the Heat were trying desperately to get themselves out of the play-in prison and into the playoffs.
While Adebayo's points per game increased this season, his efficiency dropped quite a bit. His field-goal and three-point percentages both dropped (44.2%, 31.8%) from last season, which didn't help his up-and-down offense.Â
While the Heat's massive shortcomings this season don't entirely fall on Adebayo, he is their leader and best player, and significant responsibility must rest on his shoulders, because the Heat had a chance to be much better than they were, and finish with a much better result and seeding than they did.Â
Injuries played a role, without question, but Adebayo was not himself for much of the season. It was too much, too long for him not to be on his game, and the Heat suffered for it. As Miami's cornerstone, Adebayo will certainly be ready for next season, and by then, the Heat's roster is likely to look quite different.Â
Adebayo, though, is too great a player not to bounce back, and Heat fans can rest assured he will bounce back no matter which of his current teammates return or which ones depart. This season is one that Adebayo can forget. Next year, however, will have to be different; otherwise, the Heat will be in for another long, strenuous, and likely disappointing journey.
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