The Miami Heat got off to a 0-4 start to the new season. It was brutal. They couldn’t get anything going. So, heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Atlanta Hawks, they needed a win badly. And that’s exactly what they got. Miami picked up a big-time win, and it showed something: The Heat just need Bam Adebayo to be his best self.
Through their first four games, the Heat weren’t getting the best version of Adebayo. He wasn’t playing well at all, and the Heat weren’t winning basketball games. Giannis Antetokounmpo was the only guy truly stepping up. (Davion Mitchell played well, too.) But most of the spotlight was on Adebayo – the guy who is supposed to be Miami’s second All-Star.
Well, the Heat got that guy back on Wednesday night. And turns out that’s all they really needed to get back in the win column. They need Adebayo to be a scorer.
The Heat need Bam Adebayo to be a scorer
Miami won comfortably on Wednesday. The Hawks had a few moments when it looked like they could potentially make it a game, but the Heat kept them at arm's length pretty much all night.
Atlanta shot the ball well, too. The Hawks finished the night shooting 42.1% from beyond the arc. They shot 16-of-38 from deep range. But it wasn’t enough. The Heat still controlled the game.
Antetokounmpo played his game. He’s been incredible all season, and that didn’t stop on Wednesday night against the Hawks. His stats were elite, just like they have been.
He ended the night with 24 points, 18 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block while shooting 11-of-18 from the floor (and 0-of-2 from behind the three-point line).
But Adebayo’s performance was the most impressive, largely because he hasn’t been playing well all year. He finally looked like the guy the Heat are depending on him to be.
Adebayo ended the game with 24 points, nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals while shooting 8-of-16 from the floor. He only attempted one three-pointer (it didn’t go in).
He had a 15-point game in the Heat’s first contest, and he also put up 20 against the Charlotte Hornets. Adebayo showed some flashes, but this was his best night yet (and he did it without the three-ball).
If the Heat are going to be a winning basketball club this year, Adebayo has to score the ball. He just has to. And their win over the Hawks on Wednesday night proved that.
Add us as a preferred source on Google