Bam Adebayo Reflects on Miami Heat's Chaotic Season as Playoff Hopes Hang in the Balance
Adebayo discusses his leadership role amidst the heat's turbulent season and the pressure to perform in the upcoming play-in games.
It has been a tumultuous season for the Miami Heat. The campaign featured the weeks-long Jimmy Butler trade saga that caused on- and off-court distractions. The Heat dealt Butler two months ago and went on to finish 10th in the Eastern Conference with a 37-35 record. But their season isn’t over yet. Miami heads into Wednesday night’s Play-In Tournament matchup against the Bulls needing two consecutive wins to make the playoffs and keep their season alive.
Veteran star Bam Adebayo has embraced a bigger leadership role during this bumpy season, trying to spread an optimistic mentality in the locker room. This will be particularly important as the Heat play in a win-or-go-home environment.
“I have to be more of a vocal leader this year in particular,” Adebayo told CBS Sports last month. “There’s been a lot going around in our locker room, obviously with trades and everything. For me, it’s getting guys ready to play through thick or thin, no matter what’s going on in the media, no matter how chaotic it gets. We still have to perform and try to win.”
Miami hasn’t been able to hop off the roller-coaster ride even weeks after Butler’s departure. The Heat set a franchise record for points scored against the New Orleans Pelicans in a 153-104 win on April 11. They locked in the No. 10 seed but wrapped up the regular season with a one-point loss to the Wizards. Their 37-45 record is the franchise’s worst regular-season mark in a decade.
For Adebayo in particular, he settled in and played some great basketball after a slow start. Not only did he break the franchise’s record for double-doubles in 2024-25, but his 3-point shooting also improved. Adebayo shot 35.7% from 3-point range and averaged 21.2 points per game over his final 35 games.
Adebayo noted, “When you are thinking about those things that can really contribute to winning, it’s a lot on your plate. I just go with the flow and figure out how I can align everything.”
The Heat will now have to win two consecutive play-in games to clinch a first-round matchup against the top-seeded Cavs. Adebayo emphasized, “We gotta do it game by game; we need a breakthrough every game… How do we keep more consistent so we can win?”
