On October 11, 2020, the Heat watched helplessly as the Lakers were crowned in the NBA Finals. Defeated in six games on this ultimate series, Miami had not deserved. But, in the end, we will remember the exhausted face of Jimmy Butler or the tears of Erik Spoelstra. A feeling that Bam Adebayo didn’t forget either.
“F*** no. No. No. This feeling ? It was horrible. You know, standing there and seeing the confetti falling and thinking that none of this is for us. And you go into the locker room. It was really awful…” recalled Bam Adebayo on his experience of the 2020 Finals. “You know, those opportunities don’t come around often. We are lucky to be in this position today”.
On these Finals, the pivot of the Heat had compiled averages of 15.3 points and 6.3 rebounds in only 4 games played. He had missed two for pain in the shoulder and neck.
2023, the good year?
If Miami had surprised everyone by reaching the Finals as the No. 5 seed in 2020, in the particular context of the “bubble”, they did it again three years later, but by doing even better.
This time, it was as seeded No. 8 that Bam Adebayo’s band made their way to the Finals. And like in 2020, they reunite with the No. 1 seed in the West. But, today, it is not the Lakers but the Nuggets who are facing them. What does not change? The Heat still retain underdog status.
In the first two games of these 2023 Finals, the pivot is in any case at 23.5 points, 11 rebounds and 4.5 assists on average at 54% shooting. If he continues to be as aggressive in the next meetings, Miami will have a good chance of achieving the feat. And it’s not Jimmy Butler who will say the opposite.
“Bam has been playing incredibly well since the start of the playoffs, and certainly since the start of the Finals” pointed out in particular Jimmy Butler. “On this series, he has the most difficult matchup, and by far in defense (Jokic). Offensively, he does everything for us. So we need it to continue to do so. That’s what he did for us all year long. As I said, it is thanks to him that we will win the title..
| Bam Adebayo | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2017-18 | MIA | 69 | 20 | 51.2 | 0.0 | 72.1 | 1.7 | 3.8 | 5.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 6.9 |
| 2018-19 | MIA | 82 | 23 | 57.6 | 20.0 | 73.5 | 2.0 | 5.3 | 7.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 8.9 |
| 2019-20 | MIA | 72 | 34 | 55.7 | 14.3 | 69.1 | 2.4 | 7.8 | 10.2 | 5.1 | 2.5 | 1.1 | 2.8 | 1.3 | 15.9 |
| 2020-21 | MIA | 64 | 34 | 57.0 | 25.0 | 79.9 | 2.2 | 6.7 | 9.0 | 5.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 18.7 |
| 2021-22 | MIA | 56 | 33 | 55.7 | 0.0 | 75.3 | 2.5 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.8 | 19.1 |
| 2022-23 | MIA | 75 | 35 | 54.0 | 8.3 | 80.6 | 2.5 | 6.7 | 9.2 | 3.2 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 20.4 |
| Total | 418 | 29 | 55.4 | 12.9 | 75.5 | 2.2 | 6.3 | 8.5 | 3.4 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 14.7 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
