Bam named second team All-Defense. And Knicks explain why they’re upset about officiating
For the fourth consecutive season, Bam Adebayo was named to the NBA’s second All-Defense team on Tuesday.
Adebayo received 13 first-team votes and 27 second-team votes. He was the 10th-leading vote-getter among all players after finishing sixth last season; Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. was first among all vote-getters this year.
A panel of 100 media members selected two guards, two forwards and one center for each team, choosing players at the position they play regularly. Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez was the center on the first All-Defense team.
Because of Adebayo’s defensive versatility and ability to guard all positions, statistics aren’t the ideal reflection of his defensive skills.
Adebayo allowed the player he was guarding to shoot 48.7 percent this season, which was 14th among starting centers. He averaged 0.8 blocked shots.
Adebayo, who finished fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting last year, joined LeBron James as the only two players in franchise history to be named to one of the league’s All-Defensive teams in four consecutive seasons while with the Heat.
James made the first team in 2010-11, 2011-12 and 2012-13 and then was picked for the second team in 2013-14.
Adebayo was the only Heat player voted onto this season’s All-Defense teams.
Heat star Jimmy Butler — who has been selected to the All-Defense second team five times (2020-21, 2017-18, 2015-16, 2014-15, 2013-14) during his NBA career but has still never made the first team — missed the cut this season for a second year in a row.
Butler received three first-team votes and 17 second-team votes. He and Adebayo were the only Heat players who received votes.
The All-Defense first team included Lopez, Cleveland’s Evan Mobley, Jackson Jr., Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday and Chicago’s Alex Caruso.
The All-Defense second team included Adebayo, Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby, Memphis’ Dillon Brooks, Golden State’s Draymond Green and Boston’s Derrick White.
KNICKS REACTION
The Knicks were displeased with the officiating in Game 4, even though the foul calls were comparable (23 for New York, 21 for the Heat) and even though the Knicks shot two more free throws (24 to 22).
“That was tough,” Julius Randle said after fouling out on an offensive foul with 3:08 left. “As far as officiating, that was one of the toughest games I’ve been a part of. Usually the physicality in the playoffs is up. I had six fouls and maybe four of them were offensive fouls or five. That’s never happened in my career. That’s tough.”
Max Strus said he knew Randle had five fouls and embraced the chance to foul him out on that charge.
“I saw the opportunity present itself, thought it would be a good idea to take a charge,” Strus said.
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said: “They say [there’s] marginal contact. They’re calling charges one way for them.”
Knicks guard Josh Hart was annoyed about being called for an offensive foul on one sequence, asserting that Adebayo wasn’t called for a foul on what he viewed as a similar play.
“I told the referee Bam did the same thing on a Jimmy Butler layup. Jimmy had a wide-open layup,” said Hart, who fouled out with 47 seconds left. “Mitchell [Robinson] tried to go contest it. Bam just grabs him.”
Hart asserted that a referee told him: “I don’t disagree with what you’re saying.”
Hart then added: “I don’t understand it. If you don’t disagree with it, [why is it] two different outcomes? I don’t understand it.”
RJ Barrett said the Heat has “got guys falling every possession, getting calls.”
Knicks players were searching for answers afterward. Asked about the Heat’s nine-rebound advantage in Game 4, Randle said: “Maybe they want it more. I don’t know.”
And Jalen Brunson said: “They have a lot of experience over there. They are playing really physical and they’ve been getting offensive rebounds and second chance points. Give them a lot of credit. They’re a good team.”
Thibodeau, explaining the Knicks’ rebound deficit, said: “We’ve got to get a body on people. They’re shooting long, we’re running in and the ball is going over our heads. You know [Jimmy] Butler is going to be aggressive following shots. You’ve got to get a body on him. They’re playing at a high level.
“When you look at the hustle plays, Butler,... Bam, [Caleb] Martin, Kyle Lowry make a ton of hustle plays. Often times, that makes a difference.”
Thibodeau said “Lowry coming off the bench gives them a different component. Often times they’re going short minutes with [Cody] Zeller and Bam comes back. They’re mixing and matching with their starters.”
STRUS’ RUN
After attempting a combined 13 shots (and making five) in the final two games of the Milwaukee series and the first game of the Knicks series, Strus has hit 20 of 39 shots in his past three games, including 10 for 27 on threes.
“It’s all about how the defense is guarding,” said Strus, who has scored 17, 19 and 16 points in the past three games. “Against Milwaukee, they didn’t really let me shoot. There wasn’t much open. Jimmy is creating so much right now, getting everyone collapsed. We have a lot of guys wide open. Everybody is stepping up, making shots.”
Television pundits continue to mention the Heat having seven undrafted players, including starters Strus and Gabe Vincent.
Strus said that doesn’t elicit a reaction from him anymore but “obviously we always carry that chip on our shoulder. It will carry us the rest of our career. I hope the way we’ve been playing we keep making people believe we belong here.”
INJURY UPDATE
Butler (ankle) and Martin (back contusion) were listed as questionable for Game 5 -- as they were before Game 4 -- but both are expected to play on Wednesday.
Knicks point guard Immanuel Quickley (ankle) was listed as doubtful for Game 5.
This story was originally published May 9, 2023 at 2:24 PM.
