MIA 134, CHI 91: Bam Adebayo Notches 44 ESPN FP
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse · Milwaukee Bucks fan
Heat Absolutely Dismantled the Bulls, and Fantasy Managers Need to Notice Who Went Off
The Miami Heat didn't just beat Chicago last night. They waterboarded them 134-91, and the fantasy fallout tells a story that's way more interesting than the blowout score suggests.
Let's start with the performers:
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | 44.0 | 38.3 | 20/9/3 | 18.2/9.8/2.8 | +1.8 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 40.0 | 35.6 | 14/3/4 | 15.6/4.9/2.9 | -1.6 |
| Pelle Larsson | 43.0 | 34.8 | 20/4/4 | 10.3/3.3/3.3 | +9.7 |
| Dru Smith | 37.0 | 32.8 | 10/4/6 | 6.5/2.6/2.8 | +3.5 |
| Davion Mitchell | 37.0 | 29.4 | 13/2/6 | 9.1/2.6/7.2 | +3.9 |
| Patrick Williams | 16.0 | 25.5 | 9/10/1 | 6.5/3.0/1.1 | +2.5 |
| Kel'el Ware | 25.0 | 24.7 | 17/6/1 | 11.4/9.3/0.6 | +5.6 |
| Dalen Terry | 26.0 | 24.7 | 8/6/3 | 3.4/1.8/1.3 | +4.6 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 19.0 | 21.5 | 14/5/1 | 15.4/5.3/4.7 | -1.4 |
| Coby White | 13.0 | 21.3 | 16/4/3 | 18.5/3.5/4.8 | -2.5 |
Bam Is Back to Being Bam
Bam Adebayo with 38.3 Yahoo points isn't breaking the internet, but it should tell you something important: he's healthy again. The All-Defensive Second-teamer shot 8-11 from the field and didn't waste a possession. That +1.8 vs season average is the whole story right there. He's not "up" because he's injured or limited anymore. He's just being efficient.
If you've been sitting on Bam in the waiver wire waiting for him to blow up a stat sheet, this is your reminder that his value isn't about the 50-point games. It's about nights like this where he does exactly what you need without any wasted motion.
Pelle Larsson Just Announced Himself
This is the one that should make you sit up. Pelle Larsson went from averaging 10.3 points to 20 tonight on 8-11 shooting with three threes. That's not a minutes thing (he played 23). That's a "this guy can actually play" thing.
The Heat don't have Norman Powell or Tyler Herro available right now, which obviously opens the door for backup wings. But Larsson being 8-11 from the field against NBA defense? That doesn't happen by accident. He's the kind of add in 12-team leagues that could pay dividends if Powell stays out. Keep tabs on the Heat injury report.
Chicago's Role Players Masked How Bad This Actually Was
Here's what almost fooled me: Patrick Williams had 25.5 Yahoo points. Dalen Terry hit 24.7. Coby White somehow squeezed out 21.3 points despite going 4-13. These numbers look respectable in a vacuum.
Don't let it fool you. This was a blowout. The Bulls got buried early and everyone got garbage time minutes in the second half. Williams pulling down 10 boards doesn't matter when you're losing by 43. Terry's double-double on 3-7 shooting doesn't move the needle. And Coby White going 8-8 from free throw line is nice, but 4-13 from the field tells you how the game actually went.
The real problem? The guys who should've been carrying this team didn't show up. Nikola Vučević put up 16 points but couldn't get anything going (5-12) and lost the boards 2-9. In a blowout, that's what you notice.
The Waiver Wire Moves From This Game
Dru Smith and Davion Mitchell both flashed for Miami tonight with 32.8 and 29.4 Yahoo points respectively. Mitchell's 5-9 shooting with three threes is exactly what you want to see from a backup point guard in a competitive game. Smith's 6 assists in just 21 minutes suggests he might be getting run with the first unit more than we thought.
Keep an eye on Kel'el Ware too. 8-15 shooting, 17 points in 18 minutes. That's a young big getting runway, and if the Heat keep winning like this, his minutes could expand. He's barely rostered league-wide right now.
Nobody's getting dropped because of this game, but if you need a streaming option at point guard, Smith or Mitchell could help you through the next few days depending on their role.
The Reality Check
Miami just demolished a struggling Bulls team without their best players even needing to work. That's the real headline here. The Heat played controlled, efficient basketball against one of the weaker rosters in this matchup. Bam was steady. Wiggins did his thing on defense. The role guys filled in around them.
For fantasy, the lesson is simple: Don't overreact to a blowout where the winners' guys put up solid lines and the losers' guys padded stats in garbage time. The Heat look like they're rounding into form heading into the stretch run. The Bulls look like they need to make moves.
Your waiver priorities? Anything that gives you depth at guard. Your dynasty watch? Pelle Larsson just proved he can play NBA minutes at a high level. That matters for next season.