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03/10/26 11:06:00
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03/10 23:04 CDT Bam! Heat's Adebayo scores 83 points, 2nd only to Wilt
Chamberlain in NBA history
Bam! Heat's Adebayo scores 83 points, 2nd only to Wilt Chamberlain in NBA
history
By TIM REYNOLDS
AP Basketball Writer
MIAMI (AP) --- It's Wilt, then Bam.
Bam Adebayo had a night for all time on Tuesday, with a point total second to
only Wilt Chamberlain in the NBA record books. Adebayo scored 83 points,
setting league marks for free throws made and attempted in a game for the Miami
Heat in a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards.
"An absolutely surreal night," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Obviously,
we've been blessed to have been part of a lot of big moments in this arena.
This one, it just happened. Moments happen and I'm grateful that we're all able
to be a part of it and witness it."
Chamberlain's record of 100 points has stood since 1962. Kobe Bryant --- one of
Adebayo's basketball heroes --- was No. 2 on the list with 81. Adebayo never
thought he'd be in that club.
And then came a night he'll never forget.
"Wilt, me, then Kobe," Adebayo said. "It sounds crazy."
Adebayo's final numbers: 20 of 43 from the field, 36 of 43 from the foul line,
7 for 22 from 3-point range.
He was in tears as he hugged his mother, Marilyn Blount, before leaving the
floor after the game. Emotions were kept in check, until then.
"For me, it was just remaining calm, remaining locked in and understanding that
I can go for something special," Adebayo said. "I didn't think it was going to
be 83. But to have this moment is surreal, because like I said, man, to be able
to do it at home, in front of my mom, in front of my people, in front of the
home fans, this is a mark in history that will forever be remembered."
Adebayo's career high, before Monday, was 41.
That was passed by halftime.
"I looked at the stat sheet. It was pretty crazy: 40 shots, 40 free throws, 20
3s, that takes a lot of stamina, man," Houston star and Adebayo's USA
Basketball teammate Kevin Durant said. "It takes a lot of energy to go out
there and put those shots up and also make them, set a record, surpass Kobe as
the second highest-scoring player in the history of the game. I mean, damn.
Congrats to him. Huge, huge accomplishment, something we're going to be talking
about forever."
Adebayo started with a 31-point first quarter and never stopped rolling. He was
up to 43 at halftime, 62 by the end of the third quarter. And then came the
fourth, when the milestones kept falling despite facing double-, triple- and
what once appeared to be a quadruple-team from a Wizards defense that kept
sending him to the foul line.
"BAM BAM BAM," former Heat forward LeBron James posted on social media. James
had the Heat single-game record of 61 points, set on March 3, 2014. He's now
No. 2 on the team list --- by a wide margin.
The NBA's previous best this season was 56, by Nikola Jokic for Denver against
Minnesota on Christmas night. The last player to have 62 points through three
quarters was Bryant, who had exactly that many going into the fourth for the
Los Angeles Lakers against Dallas on Dec. 20, 2005.
Adebayo got to the line 16 times in the fourth, and the game had some comical
moments. The Heat made clear they kept wanting Adebayo to get the ball and get
to the line, even in a blowout. The Wizards tried to foul others --- but
couldn't stop the scoring onslaught.
"You've got to give him credit," Wizards coach Brian Keefe said. "In the first
half he shot the ball terrific, he scored the ball really well. Obviously, he
came out and had a little bit in the third, too. They obviously kept him in the
game, and there was a lot of fouls called --- 16 free throws in the fourth
quarter. I was trying to take the ball out of his hands, he still got some free
throws 40 feet from the rim. I can't explain some of those calls. That's all I
got to say on that."
And Adebayo only needed the first half to set a career high, too.
Adebayo's 31 points in the opening quarter broke the Heat record for points in
any quarter --- and tied the team record for points in a first half before the
second quarter even started.
He finished the first half with 43 points, a team record for any half and two
points better than his previous career high --- for a full game, that is ---
set Jan. 23, 2021, against Brooklyn.
Adebayo's season high entering Tuesday was 32. He matched that with a free
throw with 5:53 left in the second quarter, breaking the Heat first-half
scoring record.
He was just getting started.
"I would say once he got to 50, then we're thinking, all right, maybe he can
get to 60," Spoelstra said.
He got to 60, late in the third.
"And when he got to 60, it just kept on going," Spoelstra said. "We might as
well go for 70."
He got to 70,
"And then, I didn't dare even think about taking him out at that point,"
Spoelstra said. "We just kept on going."
When Spoelstra finally declared Adebayo's night over, he was waiting to greet
the center with a big hug. Teammates did the same, as did some of the Wizards
after the final buzzer. Adebayo made his way over to Heat managing general
partner Micky Arison for congratulations, before eventually getting to the
locker room.
Everyone wanted his jersey, which he kept. The game ball was secured. The nets
were cut down as souvenirs. A'ja Wilson, Adebayo's longtime girlfriend and the
four-time WNBA MVP, could barely keep from crying.
"I know he says that I'm his inspiration," Wilson said. "But I don't think he
has a clue how much he inspires me to continue to be the person that I am."
Finally, Adebayo made his way to the parking garage, exhausted. He never had an
opportunity to meet Bryant, who died in 2020, and often wonders what it would
be like to have him as a confidant. He had those same thoughts Tuesday, after
topping Bryant's 81.
"Just a surreal moment," Adebayo said, "being in the company with somebody I
idolized growing up."
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
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