How to recognize an MVP in the winning camp? No doubt the impact of his direct opponent when he is not on the field… This was the case last night in the second round between the Nuggets and the Heat with Bam Adebayo. Remarkable in defense on Nikola Jokic, the pivot of the Heat rested eight minutes, and the Serb took the opportunity to martyr Miami’s defense. Impossible for Erik Spoelstra to leave him on the bench when Jokic was on the floor.
“Words fail to describe how difficult his task is in this series” hammers Spoelstra, detaching each word. “He takes on the toughest defensive coverage in the NBA, and I don’t even have to go into detail. And as a bonus, he has a very big role in attack for us, and he had to play 40 minutes and more. »
Bam Adebayo on a mission
Coach Spoelstra summed it all up. Author of 21 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, Adebayo has the most difficult role of this series on the Heat side since he must defend on Nikola Jokic, author of 41 points, both on a counter-one at the low post or at the high position, but also on this reverse “pick-and-roll” that the Serb plays wonderfully with Jamal Murray. On the other side of the field, it is precisely on the more classic pick-and-roll that he and Jimmy Butler weighed on the Denver defense. We also saw him, at the start of the match, attack Jokic one-on-one.
“We have all heard things about us since the start of the playoffs” he reminds about the Heat’s ability to prove specialists and predictions wrong. “But the most important thing is that we have the will and the faith in us, and that we continue to find ways to win. »
Limit Nikola Jokic’s passes
Asked about Jokic’s four assists, compared to 14 in Game 1, he adds: “We tried to contain them on the cuts. It’s one of the strengths of their attack, cutting. He’s a great passer, and with their cuts he finds the players unmarked. So we tried to get them all to take tough shots. »
Four assists, like the number of Adebayo, whose hand-to-hand with Duncan Robinson hurt badly in the 4th quarter. “I feel like one of the best passers in the NBA” assures Adebayo, who believes that the distant address of Robinson, but also of Gabe Vincent or even Max Strus at the start of the match changed the face of the meeting by opening the game for him and Butler.
| 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.
