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Bam Adebayo Disappoints In 2OT Loss to Sacramento
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the second quarter at Golden 1 Center. | Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
The Heat kicked off their six-game road trip with a gut-wrenching double-overtime loss to the Kings in Sacramento. While the game showed some fight from Miami, it also highlighted some of their biggest issues moving forward.
Let’s break down the key takeaways:
• The Heat blew a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter, ultimately losing 123-118 in double OT.
• Missed free throws and 18 offensive rebounds allowed to the Kings were killer.
• This loss could set a bad tone for the road trip, especially with a back-to-back in Golden State coming up.
The biggest story of the night was Bam Adebayo’s disappointing performance. Look, I get it - we’ve been making excuses for Bam all season. But man, this was rough:
• Bam shot just 3-of-13 in regulation, finishing 6-of-19 for 18 points overall.
• He went scoreless in the fourth quarter when the team needed him most.
• With Jimmy Butler likely on his way out, Bam has to step up and be the guy. This ain’t it.
There are just things Bam’s doing that I don’t understand. When he grabs a defensive rebound and pushes in transition, he keeps stopping at the three-point line to look for a dribble handoff. Just keep going, man! Attack the rim and make the defense react.
On a more positive note, Jaime Jaquez Jr. notched his first career triple-double with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Heat might have found a way to get his season back on track:
• They used Jaquez as a point forward, letting him initiate the offense.
• This allowed Tyler Herro to play more off-ball, which sparked his scoring early.
• Jaquez pushed the pace and got others involved, showing his playmaking potential.
The starting lineup and rotation decisions from Spo were interesting. He went with Rozier, Herro, Jaquez, Highsmith, and Bam to start. I’m not sure why he’s so committed to forcing a point guard into the lineup lately. It seems like he’s decided Tyler can’t be the full-time point guard.
Bottom line: This was a tough loss to swallow. The Heat had no business losing this game after being up 17 in the fourth. They’ve got to figure things out quickly on this road trip, especially with the Jimmy Butler situation looming over everything.
Have we already seen a Finals preview to start 2025?
Jan 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) shoots the ball over Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the fourth quarter at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
It’s just one game, I whisper to myself, as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander launches a three with lofty clearance over Jrue Holiday.
It’s just one game, I say, shaking my head as if to clear it when Isaiah Joe on a fastbreak flings the ball around Sam Hauser in hot pursuit, giving Hauser a ring of Saturn in basketball form for a split second, to Aaron Wiggins, shadowing them, for a tidy pop-up shot.
It’s just one game, I say, voice rising, whenGilgeous-Alexander pins the ball, barely out of Tatum’s hand, against the backboard for a block and then, immediately at the other end, lobs it to Isaiah Hartenstein for a dunk.
Sunday’s match between the Thunder and Celtics was just one game, and it’s only just January, but the contest showed what could very believably be a Finals preview. It also showed how OKC can aim to beat Boston in a series.
The Celtics are a machine, and like a machine, they are mechanical. Their dominance comes through the intuitive, expert understanding of what they are good at and how to deploy it, and what they are good at is launching threes. In Sunday’s game, the Celtics took 46 3-pointers. While they only made nine of them (for comparison, the Thunder were 16-of-38 from three), Boston is still shooting the most from deep in the league — sometimes as any as 20 more than their opponents over the course of a game.
The teams that are seeing success in recent wins over the Celtics aren’t necessarily attempting to limit Boston’s three-point attempts. With so many players capable of shooting the three ball it’s a futile effort and expends a lot of wasted energy. What they are doing, and what the Thunder did, is find ways to momentarily jam the machines.
The Thunder moved the ball more, they pressured Boston in the midrange and under the basket, they looked for any gap in the machine’s cogs they could wedge themselves into. Boston used to be way more susceptible to flustering, they abhorred a team that played a messy, gritty, or in any way abrasive style. It’s why the Heat have been so good at beating them in the postseason, because those Miami teams stopped at nothing to make things miserable and didn’t mind playing knee deep in the muck.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis Bam Adebayo’s scoring struggles and other concerns cost the Heat in a recent heartbreaking loss. Adebayo’s inability to consistently score has emerged as a significant issue for Miami. Read the full analysis.
Roster Could the new face of the Miami Heat already be on the team? An in-depth look at emerging stars suggests a shift in leadership and potential future leaders. See who stands out.
Rumor An NBA analyst predicts an imminent trade involving Jimmy Butler, stirring speculations about significant roster changes for the Heat. Explore the trade rumor.
Prediction Bold predictions for the 2025 NBA trade deadline feature potential moves that could reshape the Miami Heat’s future. Read the predictions. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Miami Heat will face the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center at 10:00 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Jan 5, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Utah Jazz guard Brice Sensabaugh (28) is interviewed by Seg Media reporter, Lauren Green following a game against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford/Russell Lansford-Imagn Images
One of the most intriguing developments on Sunday came from the Utah Jazz, where rookie Brice Sensabaugh has suddenly burst onto the scene with a scoring explosion.
Sensabaugh dropped 27 points against the Orlando Magic, following up a 34-point performance in his previous outing. That’s a staggering 61 points over two games for a player who had been largely off the fantasy radar. His usage rate has skyrocketed to over 30% in these contests, and he’s been scorching hot from beyond the arc, hitting 12 of 17 three-point attempts.
However, before we rush to add Sensabaugh in all leagues, it’s crucial to examine the context of his breakout. The Jazz were missing several key players, including Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Jordan Clarkson. This opened up a significant opportunity for Sensabaugh to showcase his scoring prowess.
The sustainability of Sensabaugh’s production is questionable. His three-point shooting percentage is bound to regress, and when the Jazz get healthier, his minutes and usage are likely to decrease. That said, he’s shown enough to warrant consideration as a streaming option in deeper leagues, particularly when Utah is shorthanded.
Click the button below for more insights, including another Thunder player to keep an eye on for your fantasy roster.
Don’t let these episodes pass you by — stay locked in with the latest Locked On Heat podcasts.
Miami’s Bam Adebayo Needs to Step Up Now Can the Miami Heat recover from their double-overtime heartbreak against the Sacramento Kings? This episode dives into Bam Adebayo’s critical role, Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s standout triple-double, and Erik Spoelstra’s lineup decisions. Wes Goldberg and David Ramil explore potential trade scenarios, including a blockbuster involving Zion Williamson, and discuss the implications for the Heat’s roster and playoff hopes.
How Does Miami Move On After Jimmy Butler’s Trade Request? Can the Miami Heat overcome the turmoil of Jimmy Butler’s trade request? Dive into the latest buzz surrounding the Miami Heat as they navigate a challenging season in the NBA. With star player Jimmy Butler’s trade request shaking up the team dynamics, hosts Wes Goldberg and David Ramil explore the implications for the Heat’s future
Jimmy Butler Wants a Trade From the Miami Heat After a revealing press conference in which Jimmy Butler claimed he could not find joy playing for the Miami Heat, ESPN reported that Butler has told the team that he wants to be traded. What do the Heat do now, and what is Butler’s trade value? Which teams would want Butler at this point? Wes Goldberg and David Ramil react to an eventful postgame press conference, and talk about how they got here and what comes next for Butler and the Heat.
