Bam Adebayo Takes Accountability as Heat Search for Answers on the Road
Bam Adebayo didn’t duck the spotlight-he stepped right into it. After another tough night on the road, the Heat’s All-Star big man made it clear: he knows he needs to be better.
“I got to figure it out,” Adebayo said following Friday’s loss. “I’m accepting accountability.
I’ve got to be better. I’m letting my team down.”
And the numbers back him up. Over the first two games of Miami’s road swing, Adebayo has gone just 10-of-23 inside the arc and missed all three of his attempts from deep.
Even more telling-three of those shots were blocked. For a player who usually thrives in the paint with his blend of strength and finesse, that’s a sign something’s off.
The Heat lean heavily on Adebayo’s two-way presence. He’s the defensive anchor, a hub on offense, and often the emotional engine of the team.
When he’s not clicking, the ripple effect is felt up and down the roster. But to his credit, Adebayo isn’t shying away from the moment.
He’s owning it-and that’s often the first step toward turning things around.
While Adebayo struggled, there was at least one bright spot for Miami: rookie big man Kel’el Ware. The 7-footer stepped up in a big way, pouring in a team-high 24 points and knocking down a career-best six three-pointers. For a player still finding his footing in the league, that kind of performance-especially in a tough road environment like Boston-is a strong sign of growth.
“I’m just getting more comfortable out there,” Ware said. “Playing through the game, playing through the flow.”
That flow is something the Heat will need to rediscover as a team if they want to stay in the thick of the Eastern Conference race.
Marcus Smart Fined, But His Impact on the Lakers Is Undeniable
Marcus Smart has never been one to hold back his emotions-and that fire boiled over again Thursday night.
The NBA hit the Lakers guard with a $35,000 fine for making an obscene gesture toward officials at halftime of the team’s win in Utah. According to the league, Smart directed a middle finger at the referees as he exited the court.
It’s not the first time Smart’s passion has landed him in hot water, but it’s also part of what makes him such a unique presence on the floor. In his first season with the Lakers, the veteran guard is averaging 10.6 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in just over 27 minutes per game. Modest numbers on the surface-but the impact runs deeper.
With Smart on the court, the Lakers are outscoring opponents by 8.5 points per 100 possessions. When he sits?
That number flips to minus-2.8. The difference is largely driven by defense-Smart’s calling card-and his ability to disrupt opposing backcourts while organizing the Lakers’ own.
He signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal over the summer after a buyout with Washington, a move that left the Wizards with $14.8 million in dead money next season. For the Lakers, though, it’s looking like a savvy addition-especially if Smart can keep channeling that fire into his play rather than his interactions with officials.
OG Anunoby Struggles as Knicks Fall Short in Philly
It was a rare off night for OG Anunoby, and it came at a tough time for the Knicks.
In Friday’s nine-point loss to the 76ers, Anunoby managed just two points on 1-of-9 shooting. He couldn’t find a rhythm offensively and, unusually, didn’t make his usual defensive impact either.
Head coach Mike Brown wasn’t shy about expressing his frustrations-not with Anunoby, but with the officiating.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever understand what’s a foul and what’s not,” Brown said after the game, highlighting the different whistle that stronger drivers like Anunoby seem to get compared to quicker guards who initiate contact.
According to Brown, Anunoby wasn’t trying to sell fouls-he was trying to play through contact and get to the rim. But on this night, it didn’t matter much. The calls didn’t come, the shots didn’t fall, and the Knicks couldn’t overcome it.
Anunoby has been a steady two-way force for New York, so one off night isn’t cause for panic. But it does underscore how thin the margin for error can be in a tightly contested Eastern Conference. When one of your key contributors is off, it can swing the outcome-and that’s exactly what happened in Philly.