The 83-point explosion by Bam Adebayo against the Washington Wizards immediately ignited debate across the NBA world. On one side are those celebrating a performance destined for the record books; on the other are voices downplaying its value because of the opponent and the game context.
Among the most critical voices was Stephen A. Smith, who blasted the Wizards during his podcast following the Miami Heat’s 150-129 victory in an heavily one-sided game.
For the analyst, Washington’s defense was simply embarrassing.
Stephen A. Smith: “The Wizards are terrible”
During an episode of his show, Smith didn’t hold back when describing the Washington Wizards’ performance.
According to the well-known commentator, the team’s approach was so passive that it almost looked like they were unintentionally helping the Miami Heat center chase history.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Wizards are a mess. They’re terrible, absolutely terrible. It almost looked like they were helping Bam Adebayo chase the record
Stephen A. Smith
Smith particularly criticized some late-game defensive decisions including intentional fouls that repeatedly sent Adebayo to the free-throw line.
Why foul at that moment? Why not just try to make him miss the shot? All you did was help him
Stephen A. Smith
For Stephen A. Smith, the game will also be remembered for the Wizards’ disastrous defense.
We see a lot of things in the capital that make you want to vomit. This was one of them. No defense, just horrible
Stephen A. Smith
The debate: how valuable are Adebayo’s 83 points?
Bam Adebayo’s performance inevitably sparked comparisons with some of the greatest scoring games in NBA history, starting with Kobe Bryant’s 81 points in 2006.
Smith acknowledged the magnitude of the Heat center’s night, but emphasized that different historical performances carry different weight.
Kobe’s still the greatest performance we’ve ever seen. Then there’s Wilt because 100 points are 100 points. Bam? For me, he’s third
Stephen A. Smith
According to the analyst, game context matters, noting that Miami was leading by more than 20 points while Adebayo continued chasing the record.
Being up 25 and still chasing numbers isn’t the way Kobe did it
Stephen A. Smith
Criticism also directed at Erik Spoelstra
Smith also aimed some comments at the Heat coaching staff, mentioning head coach Erik Spoelstra directly.
Spoelstra is a great coach, but he didn’t look that sharp last night while trying to facilitate the record, challenging calls and losing challenges because he knew history was within reach
Stephen A. Smith
A historic performance regardless
Despite the criticism, Smith still acknowledged the significance of the night.
Adebayo finished with 83 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks shooting 20-of-43 from the field, 7-of-22 from threeand 36-of-43 from the free-throw line.
The debate remains open: how much should the quality of the opponent matter when evaluating historic performances?
Interestingly, when Kobe Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors, the Canadian team held a 14-26 recordnot drastically different from the Wizards’ current struggles.
For that reason, many believe the context shouldn’t overshadow the feat: scoring 83 points in the NBA remains extraordinary, regardless of the opponent.
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