The Miami Heat are currently in the middle of a five-game road swing, with one win and one loss so far. After getting blown out by the Golden State Warriors to start this week, the Heat regrouped and beat the Sacramento Kings. It was a good win, but against one of Miami's lesser opponents on this road trip.
While Miami is focused on this week, last week saw them pick up two massive wins against formidable Western Conference teams, the Phoenix Suns and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both wins were more surprising than not, but still impressive nonetheless.
On top of those two wins (they also endured one loss last week), Miami had something happen that hasn't happened in several weeks, and that was the uptick in play from Bam Adebayo, who, averaged 27 points last week, and played some of the best games he's played all season, eventually earning the Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors. The question is, was last week a one-off, or will this help Adebayo going forward?
Bam Adebayo's best course of action is to take his Player of the Week honor and use it to turn his season completely around
Adebayo's 27 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in Miami's three games last week helped them go 2-1. Against the Suns, Celtics, and Thunder, Adebayo scored 29, 22, and 30 points. This week, he has already had one 30-point game against the Kings but fell flat against the Warriors, scoring only four points. Still, all in all, Adebayo's recent stretch has seen him play much better basketball.
Offensively speaking, this is a positive development for him, considering he has struggled mightily this season scoring points. So, now that he's secured another Eastern Conference Player of the Week (the third of his NBA career), what are the chances that Adebayo can steal some much-needed momentum from this and carry it onward?
Miami needs Bam, period. They cannot survive without, and they're still struggling to survive either way. When he's scoring 20+ points, the Heat are a better team because of it. That doesn't necessarily guarantee a win every night, but consistent offensive production from his hands gives Miami a better chance.
Based on his performances last week and the one he had a couple of nights ago in Sacramento, Adebayo can score and be a team leader in points. It doesn't fully make sense why he seemingly drops off the face of the earth in some games, but looks like a superstar in others. That's been the story of Adebayo's season, though, wildly inconsistent.
Maybe it has something to do with rhythm, because Miami has been out of rhythm all season long, and that's been helped by the absence of Tyler Herro, who simply cannot stay healthy and in the lineup. Nevertheless, Adebayo should be the one carrying the Heat on his back, and he hasn't done it enough. But maybe nabbing last week's Player of the Week gave him the right kind of spark needed to lead the Heat in the second half of the season.