The delineation is lost on most. Erik Spoelstra continually stresses that Bam Adebayo can do it all. But the Miami Heat coach also emphasizes that his versatile center doesn’t have to do it all.
So when the numbers don’t fill all the boxes, even when Adebayo’s contributions meet all the specific requirements, Spoelstra finds himself on the defensive almost to the degree that Adebayo does while anchoring the team’s back line.
“There’s so many opinions about Bam and how he needs to play,” Spoelstra said, with the Heat moving on to Friday night’s Game 3 against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center in the Eastern Conference semifinals. “He has as many responsibilities for our team as Kyle [Lowy] does for the point guard position.
“And Bam’s growth in terms of being able to manage all these different responsibilities — playmaker, facilitator, attacker, finisher, catch-and-lob guy, offensive rebounder — OK, you can check all those boxes.”
To Spoelstra, it is about Adebayo measuring each moment, then seizing as necessary.
“It’s reading the game and understanding what’s required for that possession,” Spoelstra said. “That’s where he’s shown the most growth. And I think that was on display [Wednesday] night, really the last two games, as much as anything.
“He was able to really impact our offense from really all those different areas.”
Forward Jimmy Butler said it is as if Adebayo is cursed by his completeness, able to do plenty, questioned about not doing more.
“We want Bam to be Bam,” Butler said. “And I think Spo says it all the time. And it’s funny to me, because like you’re kind of damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
“If he’s being a playmaker, people are saying you want him to score more. If he’s scoring a lot, then you want him to be a playmaker.”
So, like their coaches, Heat players tell Adebayo to tune out the outside noise, which tends to be ample this time of year.
“And,” Butler said, “we just always tell Bam, ‘Just be you. If you make the right play, you make the right play. If you go get a bucket, you go get a bucket.’
“But I think it helps us because he can do so many things on both sides of the floor.”
At this point, Butler said, there is little reason for additional messaging.
“And he’s just a smart basketball player,” Butler said, “and he always wants to play the right way. And like he’s been doing it for so many years now, and he’s also a big part of us winning.”
With Joel Embiid missing the series’ first two games in Miami due to a variety of ailments, Adebayo said it simply was a case of seizing the moments.
“I feel I’m just having tremendous energy, attacking the glass, just trying to get those easy baskets,” he said ahead of Friday’s Game 3. “And just providing all that effort for my teammates is allowing me to be who I am.”
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