Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo could only shake his head and breathe a sigh of relief.
In the first 10 games of his eighth NBA season, Adebayo struggled, averaging just 15.3 points per game while shooting 40.7 percent from the field and a dismal 5-of-23 (21.7 percent) from three-point range. This marked a sharp decline from his consistent 50 percent or better shooting during his first seven seasons. Despite being a three-time NBA All-Star, Adebayo entered Friday with the league’s lowest true shooting percentage (which accounts for three-pointers and free throws) among players with at least 140 field-goal attempts.
However, Adebayo rediscovered his form in the Heat’s 124-111 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night. He delivered an impressive performance, scoring 30 points on 10-of-17 shooting (58.8 percent), including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc (66.7 percent), and 8-of-9 (88.9 percent) from the free-throw line. He also contributed 11 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals. With this win, the Heat improved to 2-3 on their six-game road trip and 5-6 overall for the season.
It’s a long season,” Adebayo remarked, as the Heat prepares to wrap up their six-game, 12-day road trip with another game against the Pacers on Sunday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (5 p.m., FanDuel Sports Network — Sun). “But I just focus on staying prepared, putting in the work behind the scenes, and not letting myself get discouraged. As I said before, it’s unusual for me to shoot under 50 percent on a regular basis. So I keep the same mindset. My teammates and coaches support me, and they know I’ll make plays—tonight I showed that.”
Most of Adebayo’s impact on Friday came after a quiet first half, where he scored just three points. His strong second half helped turn a six-point lead at halftime into a 13-point victory. Adebayo finished with 27 points, shooting 9-of-13 (69.2 percent) from the field, 2-of-3 (66.7 percent) from three-point range, and 7-of-7 (100 percent) from the free-throw line, marking the highest-scoring half of his NBA career.
Not only was it Adebayo’s 24th career NBA game with 30 or more points, but he also made history as the first Heat player to record at least 30 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and five steals in a regular-season game. Additionally, Adebayo became the first player in the league to achieve those numbers in any game this season.
“He was making the right play,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra commented on Adebayo’s performance in the second half. “He could’ve easily had a triple-double tonight. He was setting screens, rolling hard to the rim, running, and creating a lot of action just by grabbing rebounds and pushing the ball.”
After a quiet first half with only four field-goal attempts and two free throws, the 27-year-old Adebayo took a more aggressive approach in the second half, showcasing his complete offensive game. He displayed face-up post moves, hard rolls to the basket, midrange jumpers, turnaround fa deaways, three-pointers, and even a dunk off a steal while also drawing five fouls in the second half.
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