Bam Adebayo was back, but ‘still not 100 percent.’ His quiet 4th was a difference-maker
It was only 10 days ago when Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals was on the line and the Miami Heat asked Bam Adebayo to lead his teammates to the 2020 NBA Finals.
The post player took over as an isolation scorer and logged 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists in the fourth quarter to knock out the Boston Celtics in the NBA Conference Finals. He finished the series as Miami’s leader in points, rebounds and assists. It was a superstar-style coming-out party for the 23-year-old.
His first trip to the NBA Finals quickly became a nightmare.
He strained his neck in Game 1 last Wednesday, then missed Game 2 and Game 3 before finally fighting his way on to the court for Game 4 on Tuesday. He was “still not 100 percent,” he admitted Tuesday, and it was evident in the fourth quarter.
Just 10 days after dominating the Celtics in the Conference Finals, he scored just two points, attempted only one shot, grabbed just one rebound and didn’t log any other stats in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s 102-96 loss.
“He passed all the protocols with his mobility and strength, and I thought he was great considering he hasn’t played in a week or hasn’t really done anything other than rehab, but he’s the heart and soul of who we are,” coach Erik Spoelstra said Tuesday. “It was just great to have him back out there and I don’t have to deal with him trying to stare a hole through me anymore.”
Adebayo had moments throughout Game 4 and finished with 15 points and seven rebounds on 6-of-8 shooting in 33 minutes. He only, however, handed out one assist and turned the ball over three times, and he was mostly a non-factor offensively in the final period as Miami fell into a 3-1 series hole in Lake Buena Vista. Jimmy Butler, instead, was the player running the dribble hand-offs Adebayo usually does, and Butler and fellow wing Tyler Herro ran the offense most of the time.
While Adebayo didn’t specify exactly what was keeping from being less than 100 percent, he was able to put together at least an encouraging first half in his first game back from injury.
The Heat went into halftime down 49-47, and Adebayo and fellow Butler combined for 22 of those points on 9 of 12 shooting. Adebayo finished the first half with nine points, four rebounds and one assist on 5-of-6 shooting, and he was a team-best plus-six in those first two quarters. At the start of the second quarter, he looked like his All-Star self.
Butler started the second quarter on the bench, so Miami ran the offense through Adebayo. In the 2:54 without Butler on the floor, the Heat turned a 27-22 deficit into a 34-32 lead.
With Butler out, the Heat surrounded Adebayo with shooters and bombed home two three-pointers, plus three free throws from sharpshooting swingman Duncan Robinson when he drew a foul on a three. The dribble hand-off with Adebayo and a shooter was crux of the Butler-less offense, as it often has been this season.
Even after Butler checked back in, Miami let Adebayo work and he scored seven points with an assist and a rebound before heading to the bench with 7:24 left in the quarter.
“I was happy for him. I think the entire team and organization was happy for him, too,” Butler said Tuesday. “He does so many things for us — another guy that can handle the ball, score the ball, defend, rebound, all that good stuff. I think that as we get him back into it and he watches the film with everybody else, he’s going to see how he can really, really, really put his imprint on the game, so I’m excited to have him back and we’re going to do something special with him.”
While Adebayo was able to suit up, the prognosis remains a bit bleaker for Dragic.
While the Heat elevated Adebayo from doubtful to questionable Monday, Dragic remained doubtful ahead of Game 4. The guard went through a pregame workout at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex before Miami ruled him out.
His lateral was still an issue, particularly on defense, and he was visibly emotional when he went to the bench after his discourage pregame session.
The Heat will have an extra day to see if Dragic can be ready for Game 5 on Friday in Walt Disney World.
“Goran wasn’t ready,” Spoelstra said. “He’s doing everything he possibly can to get into this competition. Our guys want to be out there and play for this. We have a purpose why we are here. Goran’s put his heart and soul into this, so he’s going to continue to try to do everything he possibly can. When I mentioned it the other night how you can see it in his eyes and deep into his soul, how much he wants to be out here, I think probably you all can see that as well.”
Said Adebayo: “I feel like collectively we all need two days off. It’s not just me, it’s not just Goran, but we all need a couple days just to readjust, realign, get some fresh air and get back to the drawing board.”
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 7:00 AM.
