Eighty-three nuggets in honor of Adebayo’s historic 83-point night for the Heat
Eighty-three notes, facts and tidbits in honor of Bam Adebayo’s historic 83-point masterpiece against Washington on Tuesday, an eruption that topped Kobe Bryant’s 81 points in 2006 and now ranks second for points in an NBA game, behind Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 in 1961:
1). Most disappointing has been the torrent of negative reaction from engagement-farmers, emotional Bryant fans and others who seem to be looking to be outraged.
There were also voices of reason. Among NBA players/coaches not employed by the Heat, Nuggets coach David Adelman offered the most thoughtful perspective, in our view:
“I thought it was awesome. I know people can say what they want. All the games like that where somebody breaks a record - I remember watching David Robinson [score] 71 and they kept him in. Devin Booker was down 30, and they kept him in to get 70.
“People have short memories. To score that many points in a game, you’re probably doing either OK or you’re doing really bad and you’re staying out there. I know that they fouled. When Wilt got 100, they extended that game throughout the whole fourth quarter.
“But from what I watched, he made the extra pass in the fourth quarter when he had 60. He blocked a shot. He was still [playing the game]. When you get to 70 man, I’m sorry: All bets are off…. And on top of that, that guy is as professional as it gets in our league, and what he stands for in the NBA. So for him to take one night, kind of go a little bit crazy, I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It was entertaining.”
2). Also credit FS-1’s Colin Cowherd, of all people, for being a voice of reason:
“Bam Adebayo scored 83 points. Everybody is attacking him. This is what we do in America. The minute there’s success we have to tear everybody down; 83 is 83. He’s an excellent basketball player. When Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points his team was fouling the Knicks to get extra possessions.
“When Kobe scored 81 against an awful Raptors team, the Lakers led by 15 with 4:30 left and Kobe scored another 11. Bam had 31 in the first, 62 after three quarters. It was totally legitimate. Every star in this league has had the chance to play the Wizards and they don’t score 83!”
3). In fact, Bryant took 13 of his team’s last 17 shots during that stretch of a lopsided win. So Bryant went for the record every bit as much as Adebayo did.
4). According to the book “Wilt, 1962,” Philadelphia Warriors teammates constantly fed Chamberlain the ball in the fourth and simply stood and watched. The Knicks fouled everyone except Chamberlain. The crowd in Hershey, Penn., screamed “give it to Wilt.’”
5). Also keep this in mind: Adebayo’s 62 points through three quarters were just six points fewer than Chamberlain’s total after three in his 100 point game. Bryant had 52 through three.
6). Noted talk show host Jim Rome put it this way: “I’m a Kobe guy. But if you have a problem with Bam Adebayo putting in 83, you have a problem with yourself.”
7). And FS-1’s Chris Broussard offered this reasonable take: “I will remember this as the defining moment of a very good player’s career…This will make us remember him for decades. I saw the haters out there — he did legitimately drop 31 PTS in the first, he did legitimately drop 43 at the half… And he did legitimately put 62 up in the first three quarters…if I’m getting that close I’m going for it. And I salute [coach Erik] Spoelstra and the teammates for having that mentality of let’s go for it.”
8). Clippers coach Ty Lue implored Adebayo not to listen to critics: “What they’re saying is stupid.”
9). One surprise was the reaction of a few mainstream journalists who clearly didn’t watch the whole game.
The Heat was not regularly fouling in the fourth quarter to stop the clock. Miami did it twice and missed one free throw intentionally. And yet that’s hardly the way critics portrayed it.
10). ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the network’s Lakers writer, said Washington wasn’t trying to win. That’s inaccurate. The players on that sad-sack team are fighting for their NBA careers. The Wizards’ front office is trying to tank; players are trying to win and impress NBA coaches/executives.
11). A review of the game tape reinforced that the fouls called were legitimate. The Wizards double- and tripled-teamed him at times and were still unable to stop him without fouling.
12). ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on his 43 free-throw attempts: “In talking to some referees who reviewed the film -- because they wanted to see how it went -- they thought that most of the calls, most of the fouls were legit. There was not like this belief that these fouls were not legit. Within the NBA family, most of the reaction has been celebration.”
13). It’s close to a five-way tie for the most patently ridiculous comments made by prominent mainstream media people.
14). Longtime talk show host/provocateur Jason Whitlock had the most absurd musing of those five: “More I think about it, Adam Silver should disallow Bam’s 83. Fine the Heat. Give the Wizards the victory. Punish all involved.”
15). Then there was longtime former NBA TV host Rick Kamla, who ranted that “Bam’s 83 was artificial, fraudulent, hypocritical and a complete indictment of Heat Culture.” Wow.
16). And this from ESPN’s Tim McMahon: “He’s jacking up threes while triple-teamed. It was honestly just awful, hideous, disgusting basketball down the stretch. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Heat culture, professionalism, and all that crap again because that was the most blatant stat-chasing.”
17). And longtime talk show host Chris Russo said on Stephen A. Smith’s show: “What Spoelstra did with the shenanigans in the game was a complete disgrace....When you shoot 43 times and shoot less than 50%, when you shoot 43 free throws and you go 7 for 22 from three against a horrendous team, and you’re in the game in the last five minutes with Spo’s fouling the Wizards, so he can get more possessions so you can score 83, that’s not the way it should be. He won’t admit it, but I bet you Pat Riley feels the same way.”
18). I would put NBA podcaster Michele Beadle fifth on the list of over-the-top criticism by mainstream media. She called it “ugly, gross and kinda cheap.”
19). I understand Russo’s point about Adebayo shooting 20 for 43. But keep in mind that eight players in NBA history have scored 60 or more while shooting below 50%: Adebayo, Elgin Baylor, Chamberlain (three times), Joe Fulks, George Gervin, James Harden, Damian Lillard and George Mikan.
20). I also understand that people who didn’t watch the game might be taken aback by the 43 free-throw attempts. That’s only eight fewer than the most free throws attempted by any team in a game this year -- OKC’s 51 in an October game, a mark surpassed by the Heat’s 59 free throws Tuesday.
21). It’s also notable that Adebayo’s 36 made free throws were eight more than the previous NBA record set by Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley. But these fouls weren’t ticky-tack calls.
22). Also, keep in mind that Bryant’s final seven points in his 81 point game were free throws in a game that wasn’t close.
23). Several former players have had enough of the Bam bashing.
Lou Williams on the Run it Back podcast: “People that complain have never been that close to an 83-point game, including players and coaches. They couldn’t stop [him]. I didn’t see flopping. A lot of them could’ve been [a basket and a foul, with a three-point play opportunity] if you ask my opinion.”
24). Chandler Parsons dismissed those who dismissed the feat: “I don’t care how good of a scorer Luka Duncic or Ant [Edwards] is. If it’s that easy, they’d have done it already.”
25). Former Heat point guard Norris Cole, on the Swish Cultures Podcast, implored Bryant fans to stop the Bam “hate” and “just appreciate. It don’t change what Kobe did. His 81 is still legendary.”
26). As former NBA point guard Jeff Teague said: “If this was LeBron’s record, y’all wouldn’t be acting like this. Y’all can’t score eight in your men’s league with your girlfriends watching — this man scored 83 points in a real game! People are so upset with him breaking Kobe’s record because they’re weird, they’re [bleeping] weird. He scored 83 points in game; why aren’t y’all happy about that? Y’all ruin everything.”
27). Former point guard Raymond Felton also has had enough with the silliness: “Listen, 83 is [bleeping] 83. OK, it wasn’t like Kobe’s; that’s fine. But 83 is 83 points. Guys, what are we talking about? It’s only three people who’s scored 80; he’s one of them.”
28). Former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas scoffed at those who said Adebayo should have left the game earlier: “Why is there a rule if you’re losing, the team that’s winning we should babysit your sorry asses?”
29). On the flip side, Nick Young, Gordon Hayward, Matt Bonner and Robert Horry were among former players who criticized Adebayo.
30). Young: “[Bleep] Bam and the Wizards... Kobe probably is rolling over in his grave right now like ‘YOU?’ [Bleep] that! You see how he was going for it at 74? That was nasty! If I had 81 I would’ve stopped!”
31). Hayward, the former Jazz and Celtics All-Star, said on ESPN West Palm Beach: “I don’t think it’s great for the league. It felt like a pick-up game. With the Wizards tanking it makes it feel not legit.”
32). Bonner, the former Florida Gator and ex-NBA forward, lamented:
“When someone has a game like that, you want to think they were on fire, or they were in the zone, and with Bam, he was 7-22 from 3. When I think of greatest performances in NBA history, that’s what I picture [Kobe’s 81], not someone who shot 7-22 from 3, under 50% from the floor, and 42 free throws.”
33). Horry, who played with Bryant for seven seasons, said of Adebayo: “If you’re gonna play like that, that’s cheating the game.”
34). Adebayo told ESPN that Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade called to congratulate him.
35). What did Jordan say? “Congratulations. Short and sweet. If you know Mike, he’s not talking a lot.”
36). Unlike some stars, Jimmy Butler didn’t acknowledge Adebayo’s achievement on social media. I wouldn’t make too much of this because they had a professional relationship and there was no intense animosity. But a source very close to Butler said that while he appreciated Adebayo, it bothered him that Miami paid Adebayo but not him.
37). Congratulations to Simone Fontecchio, whose 18 points in that game allowed Miami to achieved something that had been done just five times before: Two teammates combining to score 100 points in a game.
38). The other five all involved Chamberlain, including Chamberlain and Al Attles combined for 117 in Wilt’s 100-point game. That’s the two-man record.
39). Adebayo had the biggest jump in high career scoring game of any player in history, skyrocketing from 41 to 83 — a 42-point rise.
40). Devin Booker had held the previous record with a 31-point jump — 39 to 70.
41). While Adebayo has downplayed his scoring at times in the past, Lillard mentioned this week: “At the Olympics, Bam was like ‘I’m trying to average 30.’
“I literally said to him ‘you think you’re a 30-point scorer like that?’ When I was watching him [Tuesday] I’m like ‘maybe he knew something I didn’t know.’”
42). Riley embraced Adebayo in the hallway afterward and jokingly cracked: “I would’ve taken you out at 70! God dammit, you did it!”
43). Agent Rich Paul, who doesn’t represent Adebayo, said on his podcast that people who criticize this achievement are “sick”:
“I don’t understand the pushback I’m hearing…. He’s a team-first guy and will do whatever it takes to win. When a guy like that gets an opportunity to do what he did last night, for someone to have a problem with that, they’re sick.”
44). Instead of ripping Spoelstra, as Russo did, he should be commended for deferring to his star’s wishes to stay in the game.
45). ESPN lead NBA analyst Tim Legler agreed: “I have so much respect for Erik Spoelstra. His obligation in that moment was to his player. If the game gets out of hand, and now you legitimately have a chance to get a 70–80 point game, you’ve got to let that guy have the opportunity…
“I do think it put Spo in a position where he had no choice but to let it happen — even though it probably goes against everything he believes about how the game should be played.”
46). Adebayo told Spoelstra after the game: “I love you so much, bruh.”
47). Former NBA coach Sam Mitchell, now an analyst for TSN (Canada’s ESPN), was on the opposing sideline when Bryant scored 81 in that game in 2006.
When Adebayo was at 77 points Tuesday night, Mitchell — from his studio seat on TSN - said: “Get me of the hook, Bam. To all those coaches who said I never would let nobody score 82 on my team. Yeah, right.”
48). Most amusing quote from an NBA coach was delivered by Houston’s Ime Udoka, who tried to rationalize Adebayo’s big night by citing his high free-throw total and other factors. Then he paused, conceding: “And [it’s] the Washington Wizards.”
49). For those inclined to criticize Adebayo as ball-hogging, keep in mind that the Heat played without its two top scorers in Tyler Herro and Norman Powell. Also keep in mind that the NBA created these types of circumstances by implementing a system that rewards winning and encourages tanking.
The only way to de-incentivize losing is giving every team the same lottery odds every year. Then Washington wouldn’t have been playing an atrocious lineup. The NBA says there will be changes to discourage tanking next season.
50). Longtime NBA pundit/Celtics fan Bill Simmons emerged from the game worried: “Zombie Heat are back!! They’re the only team I’m afraid of in the playoffs now that Jayson Tatum’s back.”
51). I couldn’t find any odds on mainstream gambling platforms that would allow fans to bet on a player to score 100. But NBC’s Reggie Miller said: “If Bam can get you 83, someone like an Anthony Edwards, Luka can get you 100.”
52). Don’t be so sure that Bryant would have resented Adebayo topping his 81 points. Before his tragic death, Bryant said in 2020: “You should be happy for the person that comes after you to be able to surpass things that you’ve done.”
Asked by ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt what Bryant might have told him, he said “Do it again.”Adebayo said Bryant was his idol, but he never met him.
53). Adebayo has been classy handling questions from those questioning the final minutes of the game. I thought he might angrily end the interview with Van Pelt when asked about the way the record was achieved, as if it was nefarious. Adebayo said only that he would go for it again that way.
54). The aftermath has been a reminder about how well-liked Adebayo is around the league.
Kawhi Leonard spoke for many when he said: “He’s a hard-working dude, got better every year. I’m happy for him.” Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant expressed similar sentiments.
55). Part of that pro- Bam sentiment in the league is driven by Adebayo’s engaging personality and friendships cultivated with other players.
Some of that is borne out of his high effort and defensive acumen and tenacity. Adebayo, a three-time All Star, has made the All Defense first team once (2024) and second team four times (2020 through 2023) but wasn’t named to the team last season and has never been named Defensive Player of the Year.
“If we can really defend the way we’ve been defending the last month, then I think it’s a two-man race in Defensive Player of the Year” with Adebayo and heavy favorite Victor Wembanyama, Spoelstra said. “He’s proven he should be in consideration for DPOY. He’s defended in every scheme at the highest level.”
Bet MGM lists Adebayo as having the fifth-shortest odds for Defensive Player of the Year, behind, in order, Wembanyama, Oklahoma City center Chet Holmgren, Minnesota center Rudy Gobert and Toronto forward Scottie Barnes.
56). Per the NBA, during the game Tuesday, Bryant and Adebayo alternated as the No. 1 and No. 2 top trending topics worldwide on X over a three-hour span.
57). Adebayo also has gained 100,000 Instagram followers in 22 hours. He’s now at 1.1 million, at last check.
58). I suspect that Adebayo, who has never made an All-NBA team, will get more votes from the panel of media this season (for the third team, potentially). Remember, the three All-NBA teams reflect the 15 highest vote-getters, a positionless award system.
59). The best active players never to make an All-NBA team? In no particular order: Adebayo, Jamal Murray, Derrick White, Khris Middleton, CJ McCollum, Mikal Bridges and Desmond Bane.
60). Adebayo’s scoring average jumped from 18.9 to 20.0 during Tuesday’s game and he rose from 41st to 35th in the league in points per game, surpassing De’Aaron Fox and Jaren Jackson, among others.
61). Adebayo and Nikola Jokic are now the only NBA centers averaging at least 20 points and 9 rebounds per game and allowing the player they’re guarding to shoot less than 45%.
62). Another reason why Tuesday was so shocking: Adebayo went 11 games in a row this season without reaching the 20-point mark. He might have been the third most likely Heat player to achieve this, behind Herro and Powell. His college high point total was 25.
63). Adebayo, who is the 11th player to score 70 in an NBA game, became the first player in NBA history to make 25 free throws and five three-pointers in the same game.
Another fun fact: There have been 11 NBA games this season in which a team failed to score at least 83 points.
65). ABC/ESPN lead announcer Mike Breen has a theory about the blowback: “People love to be outraged. That’s just what it is today. I can understand on one side that it was made a mockery of down the stretch in the way they went about doing it. It’s not the normal thing you see in an NBA game.
“But the other thing about Adebayo is that this is a guy who represents the very best of the NBA: the way he carries himself, the kind of teammate he is, the work ethic that he has. He’s been nothing but a great ambassador for the NBA, a high-character individual, and his story is amazing. I’m not trying to cop out by saying they’re both right, but sometimes there’s a gray area in there. Not everything’s definitive, and we don’t have to be outraged by everything.”
66). A few notable tidbits from Heat TV voice Eric Reid: It’s not like everyone was putting up historic numbers on the lowly Wizards this season. Donovan Mitchell’s 48 points were the previous high against Washington.
Also, Adebayo played as many minutes as Bryant in each of their historic games (42). Chamberlain played all 48 when he scored 100.
67). Never thought I would see the day that NBC switched to a Heat-Wizards game during prime time programming. NBC aired about three minutes of the game, using the Heat broadcast feed, before returning to its Spurs-Celtics telecast.
68). Where this ranks on the list of best single-game performances in South Florida sports history is complicated and nuanced.
You could easily make the case it’s No. 1 because of the historical aspect of it.
You could also make the case that it’s No. 2 behind Wade’s 36 point, 10 rebound, 5 assist, 4 steal, 3 block epic in the series-clinching Game 6 of the 2006 NBA Finals. You could make the case it’s No. 3 behind Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett’s Game 6 shutout of the Yankees to win the 2003 World Series.
The Wade and Beckett games delivered championships. But Adebayo’s performance is more likely to be remembered in 50 years.
69). As far as team achievements, there’s no way to rank it behind the Dolphins’ 17-0 season. But in terms of all South Florida sports feats, you could make the case to put it on the Mount Rushmore of South Florida sports achievements, though it’s a tough call to pick four among the Dolphins’ perfect season, Don Shula’s all-time NFL victory record, UM’s five national championships in 18 years, Wade’s Game 6 in 2006, the Big 3’s two titles and four Finals appearances in four years, the Panthers’ two consecutive Stanley Cup titles and the Marlins’ two World Series championships.
70). A more fun discussion is whether this was the most “are-you-kidding-me?, I can’t believe this” single-game moment in South Florida sports history.
As far as impact, No. 1 on that list would be Chris Bosh securing a crucial offensive rebound off a missed LeBron James three-pointer and passing to Ray Allen, who hit a corner three-pointer to tie Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals against the Spurs. That play sent the game to overtime, where the Heat defeated the Spurs. Miami then won Game 7.
72). As far as feats that are not as significant as Bosh/Allen -- but unfathomable achievement nonetheless — I would put Adebayo No. 1, just ahead of the Miami Miracle play that allowed the Dolphins to beat New England 34-33 when Kenyan Drake weaved through Patriots defenders after several laterals in a game in December 2018.
73). Close to those two, and no worse than third, on my are-you-kidding-me/did-that-just-happen list is the Dolphins’ 70-20 win against Denver on Sept. 24, 2023. It was the second-highest point total in NFL history.
74). My No. 4, on my list, was Tua Tagovailoa’s breakout six touchdown, 469-yard eruption in a 42-38 comeback win in Week 2 at Baltimore in 2022, Mike McDaniel’s first season.
75). The Panthers’ four-overtime win against Carolina in the 2023 Eastern finals would also be in my top five, if you want to limit it to this century. At 139 minutes, it’s the sixth-longest game in NHL history.
Lower on my list are Marlins no-hitters by Henderson Alvarez and Edinson Volquez and Pablo Lopez striking out nine in a row and Ricky Nolasco striking out 16. But none of these are in the same stratosphere as what Adebayo did.
76). If you wondered, the most points by a Dolphins player in a game is 24, achieved by Raheem Mostert, De’Von Achane, Ronnie Brown, Mark Ingram and Paul Warfield.
Most points by a Panthers player in history: six by Mason Marchment and Ollie Jokinen.
77). The Heat is selling Bam “83” jerseys for $140. But the team says for those who purchase 13 or 83 jerseys online, an $83 special will pop up if you add it to your cart.
78). Adebayo’s feat made all three network newscasts (David Muir on ABC, Tony Dokoupil on CBS, Tom Llamas on NBC) on Wednesday night.
It’s the first time I can ever remember a local pro team making the signature network newscasts for something good. The Dolphins’ BullyGate scandal and Tagovailoa’s concussions made all three national newscasts.
79). Several teammates asked Adebayo to autograph the boxscore on his way out of Kaseya Center on Tuesday. Naturally, he obliged.
80). Spoestra said he kept the boxscore of James’ 61-point game, which had been the highest scoring game in Heat history — but it was lost in the fire that destroyed his home earlier this season. He said he can laugh about it now because he has the box score with the new record.
81). The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame has asked the Heat for something from the game but left it open-ended for the Heat and Adebayo to decide. The Hall mentioned to the Heat that it has Bryant’s sneakers from his 81-point game.
Adebayo left the area with the shoes and jersey he wore. The Heat kept the basketball.
82). At least one person witnessed both Bryant’s 81-point game and Adebayo’s 83-point game in person: Jim LaBumbard, who was on Toronto’s media relations staff in 2006 and is now the Wizards’ vice president of communications.
And Wizards and former Hawks guard Trae Young witnessed the two 70-point-plus games this decade; Luka Doncic’s 73 against Atlanta and Tuesday’s game.
83). The Sporting News’ Micah Adams, a skilled numbers guy, noted on social media that Adebayo’s “83-point game was 8.5 standard deviations above his career average (or 1 in 53 quadrillion).”
Based on career averages, the equivalent would be Patrick Mahomes passing for 915 yards in a game or Wilt Chamberlain securing 79 rebounds.
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 3:50 PM.
