Tag: Bam Adebayo

Spencer Dinwiddie started NBA award campaign — for opposing players

Spencer Dinwiddie has cast his choices for the NBA’s Most Improved Player and Sixth Man of the Year Awards.

Kobe Bryant said it himself, Spencer Dinwiddie is playing like an All-Star.

With Kyrie Irving and Caris LeVert out, the point guard has become Brooklyn’s leader in the scoring column and in the closing minutes of ballgames. As a result, he’s been named Eastern Conference Player of the Week once, was a nominee on two other occasions and Dinwiddie was an Eastern Conference Player of the Month nominee for games played in October and November.

Now, the fact he’s performing as well as he has as a starter has helped his chances at making the NBA All-Star game, but there’s an award Dinwiddie is also making a run at — one that he may have a better shot at winning than getting an All-Star nod.

Most Improved Player.

Though, there are other quality candidates around the league. In fact, Dinwiddie started campaigning for one of them on Sunday: Charlotte’s Devonte’ Graham.

Some fans thought the point guard had the wrong player from the Southeast Division. They made the case for Miami’s Bam Adebayo:

Dinwiddie didn’t stop there.

The award the point guard was expected to contend for entering the season was Sixth Man of the Year. Of course, Clippers guard Lou Williams is the favorite having won it each of the last two years. But Dinwiddie thinks the honor should actually go to one of Williams’ teammates: Montrezl Harrell.

Still a lot of season left. Once Irving is back, Dinwiddie can starting working toward Sixth Man of the Year again. Until then, he’ll just have to shoot for All-Star.

RELATED: Kobe Bryant paid Spencer Dinwiddie a high compliment before Saturday’s game

Report: Joel Embiid expected to be available against Heat on Wednesday

The Sixers will likely have Joel Embiid back Wednesday to help anchor their defense against the Miami Heat.

The Philadelphia 76ers will likely have their defensive anchor back to help protect the paint Wednesday.

According to Sixers Wire’s Ky Carlin, two-time All-Star Joel Embiid is expected to be available for the Sixers’ home game against the Miami Heat. Embiid missed the Sixers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday because of an upper respiratory illness. 

The Sixers will need Embiid to compete against Bam Adebayo, an up-and-coming big. Adebayo has shown he can be one of the most versatile big men in the league. A Most Improved Player candidate, Adebayo has averaged career-highs in points (15.2), rebounds (10.7) and assists (4.6) this season. Adebayo also has posted two triple-doubles.

Embiid is the best player on the Sixers, and the team especially needs him on defense. He has a team-leading defensive rating. Embiid helps the Sixers defend the paint well. During the Sixers’ loss against the Nets, Philly gave up 64 points in the paint. That’s the most they’ve given up all season, per NBA.com. 

The Heat excel at moving the ball and making defenses rotate, so the Sixers, one of the best defensive teams in the league, will have a tough task. Miami ranks ninth in assists per game, and they shoot the ball well, ranking third in 3-point percentage.

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Kendrick Nunn, Duncan Robinson make NBA history in win vs. Hawks

The Heat went on a 24-4 run in the final minute of regulation and overtime to seal a comeback win against the Hawks on Tuesday night.

The Miami Heat had themselves quite a night against the Atlanta Hawks.

Trailing by six points with just 59.9 seconds left in regulation, the Heat went on a 6-0 run on a pair of 3-pointers by Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler to force overtime. The team then went on a 16-0 run to begin overtime to seal the 135-121 victory.

Miami outscored Atlanta 18-4 in extra time as the Hawks shot just 2-of-9 from the field. A video of Trae Young subsequently went viral on social media as the second-year guard emphatically yelled out that the game was over once the Hawks went up by six with just under a minute to go.

Heat rookie Kendrick Nunn recorded a career-high 36 points, finishing 14-of-26 from the field while adding six rebounds and four assists. Robinson added 34 points while tying a Heat record with 10 made 3-pointers. The two became the first pair of undrafted teammates in NBA history to total 70 points in a game.

Some other notes from the matchup on Tuesday night:

  • Bam Adebayo recorded his first career triple-double with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. The 30 points and 11 assists are career-highs for the big man.
  • Butler finished with 20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists for his third triple-double of the season and the seventh of his career. The 18 rebounds are a career-high.
  • Adebayo and Butler are the first pair of teammates in Heat history to each record a triple-double in the same game.

The Heat have said all season long that any player is capable of going off on any given night and Tuesday was a prime example with Butler, Adebayo, Nunn and Robinson carrying the team. The four players combined to score 110 of the team’s 135 points in the win.

With the victory, the Heat improved to 18-6 on the season and 11-0 at home. The team has exceeded expectations this season and has been among the best in the league to begin the year.

Next up for Miami: A home date Friday with LeBron James and the Lakers.

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Tyler Herro was forced to guard Jimmy Butler in Heat pick-up games

Several Heat players, including Bam Adebayo, arranged for Herro to guard Butler on the court to see what the rook had and how he’d react.

As the case is each year, rookies often face a tough transition from college to the NBA. That process can be even harder if you’re immediately forced to guard four-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, as Tyler Herro found out.

After joining the Heat, Herro was around the organization for much of the summer as he adjusted to his new team. He often played pick-up games with his teammates and even joined Butler for his infamous 4 a.m. workouts.

Once Butler officially arrived in Miami, several Heat players, including Bam Adebayo, arranged for Herro to guard Butler on the court to see what the rook had and how he’d react. The three players discussed that, and more, in an interview with Slam Magazine as they grace the Slam 225 cover.

Adebayo: We threw him in the fire, Day 1. First day of pickup, we made him guard Jimmy.

Butler: I was killing you, too.

Herro: I wasn’t scoring?

Butler: You weren’t scoring on me. I’m not going for that [expletive].

Herro: Was I scoring?

Butler: You were not scoring on me.

Adebayo: We threw him in the fire and we wanted to see how he’d react. He didn’t shy away from it.

The team chemistry with Butler in the picture now has been strong as he has fit in seamlessly so far. He has been seen joking around with his teammates and has been impressed by what he has seen in Herro and fellow rookie Kendrick Nunn.

“Jimmy has taken me under his wing since the summer and really just pushed me and showed me the right way and has given me confidence and has really put me in the right spots,” Herro said.

As for that time he guarded Butler in practice, Herro said he thought he did well until Butler started taking it seriously. He is likely happy he doesn’t have to guard him when the games really matter.

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