MIA 123, NOP 111: Bam Adebayo Comes Alive With 58.8 Yahoo FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Heat Survive Pelicans Despite Bam Carrying the Load
Heat 123, Pelicans 111. Miami gets the W, but the real story is Bam Adebayo dragging this team across the finish line while half the roster watched from the sideline.
Let me be straight with you, this was ugly. The Heat were missing Tyler Herro, Norman Powell, and Terry Rozier, and it showed. But Bam said "not today" and put up numbers that remind you why he's an All-Defensive guy. New Orleans had no answer for him in the post, and Miami rode that dominance to a 12-point win.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | 50.0 | 58.8 | 27/14/4 | 18.4/9.9/2.8 | +8.6 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 52.0 | 51.6 | 23/8/4 | 15.2/5.4/4.7 | +7.8 |
| Jeremiah Fears | 40.0 | 43.2 | 13/11/8 | 13.2/3.7/3.1 | -0.2 |
| Kel'el Ware | 41.0 | 39.4 | 16/12/0 | 11.3/9.2/0.6 | +4.7 |
| Trey Murphy III | 34.0 | 31.8 | 19/4/6 | 22.1/5.7/3.8 | -3.1 |
| Myron Gardner | 33.0 | 30.5 | 8/10/3 | 4.2/3.0/1.0 | +3.8 |
| Zion Williamson | 31.0 | 30.3 | 25/4/3 | 21.6/6.1/3.5 | +3.4 |
| Saddiq Bey | 24.0 | 28.8 | 14/9/4 | 16.6/5.9/2.5 | -2.6 |
| Simone Fontecchio | 27.0 | 26.3 | 15/4/1 | 8.7/3.3/1.5 | +6.3 |
| Bryce McGowens | 22.0 | 20.7 | 12/1/3 | 7.9/1.9/1.5 | +4.1 |
The Bam Show (And Why It Matters)
Bam Adebayo went nuclear. 27 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists on 13-17 from the free throw line. He shot 6-19 from the field but who cares, he was getting to the line and finishing. Up +8.6 points from his season average, and he ate that rebound total for breakfast. This is the version of Bam you drafted for, not the 16-point nights we've been dealing with. He's still 98% owned everywhere, so you either have him or you're stuck watching his line go up while you cry.
The thing to watch: can he sustain this? The Pelicans were a mess defensively without their usual rotations clicking, and Bam punished them. But against better defensive teams, he might not get 17 free throw attempts every night. That said, he's been All-Defensive for a reason. This is the ceiling, and it's worth knowing it exists.
Jaquez Jr. Quietly Sneaking Into the Conversation
Jaime Jaquez Jr. put up 23/8/4 with 3 steals in 34 minutes and barely anyone's talking about it. 51.6 Yahoo FP. Up +7.8 from his season average. The guy was 10-22 from the field and still got his, which means his efficiency was solid. More importantly, he's getting consistent minutes and opportunity in a Heat team that's down bodies.
Here's the thing: Jaquez isn't some waiver wire gem anymore (he's not owned everywhere), but he's a legitimate depth piece in 12-team leagues if the Heat keep running this lineup. One night doesn't make a trend, but watch his minutes the next few games. If Herro stays out, Jaquez could be getting 30+ consistently.
Pelicans Wing Position is a Dumpster Fire
Trey Murphy III went 7-15 from the field, 2-3 from three, but only dropped 19 points on 26 minutes. Down -3.1 from his season average. The guy's a streaky 3-point shooter and tonight he didn't get the volume he needed. 31.8 Yahoo FP is fine, but not the 35+ you want from a 22.1 PPG scorer.
Saddiq Bey went 4-15 on the field but saved himself with 4 threes. 14/9/4 line is decent, but he had to work for it and only got 24 ESPN FP (28.8 Yahoo FP) in 36 minutes. When you're grinding that hard for under 30 Yahoo points, it's not the efficiency we're chasing.
The Zion Problem
Zion Williamson put up 25/4/3 and it looks great on paper (30.3 Yahoo FP), but here's the reality: 12-19 from the field and zero threes. The guy's a volume scorer who can't stretch the floor, and against Bam and the Heat's defense, he did what he does. It's not bad, it's just not dynamic enough for a guy of his draft pedigree. The +3.4 from his season average is just fine, but the lack of secondary stats (no steals, no blocks) means he's basically a floor raiser, not a ceiling raiser. Keep him if you have him, but don't sell the farm to get him.
The Bench Guys Who Showed Up
Kel'el Ware (16/12 on 7-15, 27 minutes) and Myron Gardner (8/10/3 on 3-7, 22 minutes) both got significant minutes with the Heat's absences and neither embarrassed themselves. Ware hit two threes and got boards, Gardner went nuts on the glass (up +7.0 rebounds from his 3.0 season average).
Are these guys league winners? No. But if you're in a really deep league or need a fill-in because of injuries, Ware has some appeal. He's getting run when Bam gets rest, and a 16-point, 12-rebound night suggests he can provide value in the right matchups.
Jeremiah Fears Living Up to the Name (For Now)
The Pelicans rookie got 13/11/8 in 30 minutes with 2 steals. That's 43.2 Yahoo FP. The assist line jumped way up (8 vs his 3.1 average), which is interesting but also probably not repeatable. He had a 6-19 shooting night that could've been worse. Kid's got potential and he's getting minutes, but one 40+ FP night doesn't make him rosterable in 10-team leagues. Monitor him in 12+ team drafts, but don't panic-add yet.
Bottom Line
Bam won this game for Miami with a monster performance. Jaquez showed he can be a consistent piece. The Pelicans couldn't put anyone in rhythm except Zion, and it cost them. If you have Bam, feel good about tonight. If you have Trey Murphy or Saddiq Bey, it was an off night in a loss, so don't panic. And if you're looking at waiver adds, Myron Gardner might be worth a peek if you need rebound help in deep leagues, but I wouldn't burn a high claim on him.
Heat play again soon. Let's see if Bam keeps running hot or if this was a one-off showing against a vulnerable Pelicans squad.