Will Efficiency Be An Issue For Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo?

Bryan Townes | 18 Hours Ago

Oct 26, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) sits on the floor before a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Nell Redmond-Imagn Images / Nell Redmond-Imagn Images

Despite Bam Adebayo's offseason focus on improving his three-point shooting to become a stretch power forward for the Miami Heat, his scoring has seemingly regressed in every other area.

He finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists on 35 percent shooting, missing both of his three-point attempts in Saturday's victory against the Charlotte Hornets.

Adebayo will almost always thrive on defense but is struggling to score compared to previous years. He did not have a point until the second quarter against the Hornets.

He is shooting 38.9 percent on two-point attempts, which is concerning considering his strength was finishing from the mid-range and interior. Another aspect hurting Adebayo's scoring is shooting 63.6 percent on free throws despite shooting 75.5 percent for his previous seven seasons with the Heat.

Another factor leading to Adebayo's lower scoring output is those surrounding him in the Heat's starting lineup. Guards Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro are playing their best basketball together, which means fewer touches for Adebayo. The backcourt is more ball dominant because their scoring is the primary way of setting up teammates by attracting defensive attention to them.

This could just be a bad stretch for Adebayo and nothing more. However, there are many games when the Heat will rely on him to score this season. His next opportunity will be against the Detroit Pistons.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.