3 Crucial stats that will determine if the Heat win or lose

Bam Adebayo’s shooting

Before I get to the bad stuff let me say this: The improvement Adebayo has made to his offensive game over his career is extraordinary. 

Considering that he entered the league as a rim-rolling hybrid four/five, that Adebayo has developed into a fulcrum of Miami’s offense – all while maintaining his world-class play on defense – is nothing short of astounding.

But there’s also a ceiling on how good the Heat can be when relying this much on Bam for efficient offense. Now the bad stuff.

Adebayo has a True Shooting percentage of 56.2. The league average for centers, according to StatMuse, is 61.3.

This is because a majority of Adebayo’s shots come from the inefficient mid-range area. Is it amazing that he’s developed into a 45% mid-range shooter? Yes. Is that in accordance with an efficient offense? It most certainly is not.

The Heat need to find ways to get Adebayo closer to the basket, and they know it. This is partly why the traded for Terry Rozier in January. Rozier is a natural pick-and-roll partner who can pressure the rim and has already made a difference with his lob-throwing. 

But it’s not enough. Adebayo has to do a better job of forcing his way inside and drawing fouls. When he does those things and his True Shooting percentage climbs to above league average, the Heat are 11-5.