In an NBA season where nearly a third of the teams are losing on purpose, Bam Adebayo got a torrent of criticism for scoring 83 points Tuesday against the woeful Washington Wizards.
Friday, the Miami Heat center responded to his critics on “The Dan Patrick Show,” explaining that the Wizards never double-teamed him until he had 70 points with nine minutes to go. It’s a strange development that, facing a tanking team like the Wizards, Adebayo is the one getting flak for actually trying.
Bam Adebayo’s performance was eye-popping regardless of opponent
To score in massive numbers in NBA, there’s always some element of stat-padding. In Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game, his teammates tried to feed him the ball on every fourth-quarter possession, while the opposing New York Knicks began slowing the game down and intentionally-fouling Chamberlain’s teammates, despite trailing in the game.
The Phoenix Suns intentionally fouled to get the ball back while trailing in Devin Booker’s 70-point effort in 2017, while the Toronto Raptors stayed in a zone defense during Kobe Bryant’s 27-point third quarter when he went for 81 in 2006.
Adebayo made it clear that he very much tried to beat Bryant’s total of 81 points, but questioned why he was criticized for it.
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