While Duncan Robinson is at 999 3-point baskets scored in the regular season and could hit the mark today, by becoming the player who most quickly reached the mark of 1,000 3-point baskets in his career, Bam Adebayo continues to make his mark behind the line at 7m25.
In the last two matches, he did rather well since he finished at 1/1 in the exercise each time, on two attempts at the head of the racket which hit the mark, a first since… 2021.
Even if the Florida pivot already has a few outside baskets in his career (8/62 in his career in the exercise before the start of the season), the last All-Star Game allowed him to successfully get back into the swing of things. After the match, he then invited Eric Spoelstra to reconsider it as a shooter with a playful tone.
With the approval of Erik Spoelstra
Except that the Heat coach took him at his word and encouraged him to continue his efforts, while giving him his vision of things. For him, Bam Adebayo can take shots from behind the arc, but not just any shots.
” It's interesting. I had this discussion with him this summer while he was working on his shots from the corners. It's something that suited me very well. I want him to work on the 3-pointer. But I also told him that the 3-point shot that would be most “available” to him would be the one at the head of the racket. This is where he often ends up. Typical spacing doesn't make sense for our team if he positions himself in the corner. There are other guys who are going to be there,” underlined the Miami coach. “On the other hand, he is at the head of the racket all the time, and since I have been watching him train for a few months now, that is the place where he is most effective. So I'm fine with him taking those. If the defense is too far back, he's very good at making the right calls, so that will lead to a good play, for Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler or another player. But if you really leave him alone too much, I've seen him put on more than one. We'll see where it takes us.”
It was in this situation that he found himself facing the Pistons then the Nuggets, and that he successfully fired his shot. Enough to give him confidence and above all encourage him to continue on this path.
“I’m clearly in the rhythm. I'm getting to this point where I just have to shoot.”he slipped. “We always have our little competition between interiors with Orlando Robinson, Thomas Bryant and me. When I’m the one winning, I feel more comfortable taking those shots.”
For his teammate Caleb Martin, we will have to get used to seeing “Big Bam” take more and more 3-point shots… and make them. “If he’s open, he can take them. He has earned the right to take them. He definitely feels more comfortable doing it, so I’m happy for him.” The Heat's opponents have been warned.
| Bam Adebayo | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 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 |
| 2023-24 | MIA | 56 | 35 | 51.1 | 18.8 | 75.4 | 2.3 | 8.1 | 10.4 | 4.0 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 19.9 |
| Total | 474 | 30 | 54.7 | 14.1 | 75.5 | 2.2 | 6.5 | 8.7 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 0.9 | 15.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
