Q: Ira, are you getting a lot of questions about Bam Adebayo? Do you have an analysis? – Brian, Miami.
A: Yes, in the wake of Tuesday night’s loss to the Celtics I received enough to fill a full mailbag, So I’ll address them all under the umbrella of this question. First, for Bam Adebayo to be at his best, the ball has to go through Bam. And that requires someone getting him the ball, save for the few possessions when he advances it. As Erik Spoelstra said after the loss, ball movement, particularly the lack thereof, was a major contributor to the loss. But, beyond that, sometimes you have to grab the game. And 4 of 7 from the field does not do it. That’s the exact same shot line as Al Horford in Game 4. And Bam has to offer more than Al for the Heat to succeed. After a similar lackluster showing in a loss in New York in these playoffs, Bam vowed to be better. And was. Now he has to do the same against the Celtics.
Q: Even a team as stubborn as the Heat can’t help at times believe all of the wonderful things the outside world has been saying about them. They played like a team entitled. We need the chip-on-the-shoulder Heat on Thursday. – Douglas.
A: I’m not sure the chip was gone on Tuesday night. Boston just played better. Because the Celtics are better, a No. 2 seed against a No. 8 seed. The Heat never earned the right to look at anything beyond the next game, which has to be the approach going forward. The Heat still need one more win to advance. And that should be the approach in each game. One. More. Win. Face it, the Celtics likely will be favored in both remaining home games, So unless the Heat do the unexpected, which they certainly have done numerous times this postseason, it could come down, to a degree, to an all-or-nothing Saturday home game. Such is life as a decided underdog, even one that held a 3-0 series lead. Buckle up.
Q: The Heat are now at the mercy of the Celtics’ 3-point shooting and could get steamrolled the rest of the way. – Sir.
A: And could have been steamrolled by the Bucks. And could have been steamrolled by Jalen Brunson. And could have been steamrolled by the Celtics in this series’ first three games. But I would find it hard to believe that a team that only has had answers to this point suddenly would turn clueless. Jimmy Butler hardly was at his best Tuesday. Bam Adebayo certainly wasn’t. The Heat can do more. Including making their own 3-pointers.
