Bam Adebayo has made NBA history.
The Miami Heat center scored 83 points against the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant for the second-highest scoring game in NBA history. Only Wilt Chamberlain’s famous 100-point game is above him.
However, Adebayo faced some criticism on social media for how he achieved those points. The Heat repeatedly fouled the Wizards to regain possession and create scoring opportunities for him in a game they were comfortably winning by 20 points.
JJ Redick comments on Bam Adebayo’s record
“It’s incredible what he was able to do,” said Los Angeles Lakers coach JJ Redick. “When I walked in and saw the score, he was at the free-throw line. I told my coaching staff, ‘oh, they’re rolling.’ They looked at each other and said, ‘are you kidding right now?’
“They told me, ‘Bam has 77.’ I watched the last three minutes, and that was a different type of basketball,” Redick added.
Adebayo kept pushing to score on every drive, even in the final seconds when the game was no longer close. There’s nothing wrong with that, and the only way to stop a scoring outburst is through defense.
Ultimately, people may forget that Adebayo set records for free throws made (36) and attempted (43). They may not remember if the Heat won or lost, just as many forget that Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game came in an 18-point comeback or that he subbed out with 62 points in the third quarter just days before.
History is what it is, and no amount of criticism can change Adebayo’s achievement.