MIA 119, PHI 109: Bam Adebayo Outduels Tyrese Maxey in Fantasy Showdown
Sarah Kowalski
Orthopedic Nurse ยท Milwaukee Bucks fan
Heat Survive Close One, Herro and Bam Carry Fantasy Rosters to Payday
The Heat pulled out a 119-109 win over Philly last night, and if you had Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo in your lineup, you're feeling pretty good about your roster right now. This wasn't a blowout, wasn't flashy, but it was exactly the kind of game where the right two guys going off matters. Let's break down what happened and what it means for your waiver wire moves this week.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bam Adebayo | 50.0 | 52.2 | 23/16/6 | 20.1/10.0/3.0 | +2.9 |
| Tyrese Maxey | 48.0 | 48.9 | 23/7/9 | 28.8/4.2/6.7 | -5.8 |
| Tyler Herro | 47.0 | 45.3 | 30/4/3 | 21.6/4.7/3.8 | +8.4 |
| Pelle Larsson | 41.0 | 39.5 | 20/10/3 | 11.2/3.5/3.3 | +8.8 |
| Joel Embiid | 33.0 | 38.9 | 26/7/3 | 26.9/7.4/3.9 | -0.9 |
| Andrew Wiggins | 38.0 | 36.6 | 14/8/0 | 15.6/5.0/2.7 | -1.6 |
| Paul George | 29.0 | 28.8 | 19/4/2 | 16.8/5.4/3.6 | +2.2 |
| Jaime Jaquez Jr. | 29.0 | 28.7 | 14/6/5 | 14.9/5.1/4.7 | -0.9 |
| Kelly Oubre Jr. | 23.0 | 27.7 | 11/11/3 | 14.5/5.0/1.7 | -3.5 |
| VJ Edgecombe | 33.0 | 26.7 | 13/1/5 | 16.0/5.6/4.0 | -3.0 |
Herro Absolutely Went Off (And It Actually Matters)
Tyler Herro dropped 30 points on 12-24 shooting and finished with 45.3 Yahoo FP. That's +8.4 compared to his season average, and honestly, this is the version of Herro fantasy managers need to believe in down the stretch. He's been hovering around 21.6 PPG most of the season, so this isn't some random career night. This is him attacking when the matchup calls for it.
The thing about Herro is consistency questions follow him around like a shadow. Nights like this answer a lot of them. He took 24 shots. That's volume. The Heat trusted him to close out this game, and he delivered. If you're thinking about acquiring him before the deadline, this is the kind of tape you want to see.
Bam Did Bam Things (And That's All You Need)
Bam Adebayo went 23/16/6 with 52.2 Yahoo FP. Nothing flashy, nothing unexpected. He's been All-Defensive Second Team this season for a reason. He was solid at the line too (12-13 FT), which matters because free throw shooting has been a weak spot for him historically.
The rebounds are what jump out. +6.0 compared to his season average. He cleaned the glass when it mattered, and that's exactly what you pay for with a guy like Bam. Ownership is already at 99.2%, so you probably have him already or you made a mistake. No moves to make here except maybe a fist bump to yourself if you held him through any down weeks.
The Pelle Larsson Situation Needs Attention
Okay, so Pelle Larsson dropped 20/10/3 for 39.5 Yahoo FP, and that's +8.8 compared to his season average. Here's the thing though: his season average is only 11.2 PPG. This is a backup small forward for the Heat who went off in a close game. Don't get cute and drop depth pieces to chase him. He's useful in 14+ team leagues if you need a streamer, but in most formats, this is a one-off.
That said, if you're watching waiver wires and need a guy for a specific week because of byes or injuries, Larsson showed up when it mattered. Just understand the context.
Maxey Had a Weird Night for His Standards
Tyrese Maxey put up 48.9 Yahoo FP with 23/7/9, but here's the catch: he shot 7-20 from the field. That's a 35% clip for a guy who's been an All-NBA caliber scorer. The assists were there (9, which is +2.3 vs his average), and he hit seven free throws, which kept him afloat. But this is the first sign that maybe the 76ers' spacing got a little wonky against the Heat's defense.
Maxey is still one of your locked-in guys, but nights like this remind you why consistency matters in fantasy. He's solid, not untouchable.
Embiid Stayed Healthy (That's the Real Win)
Joel Embiid played 34 minutes and put up 26/7/3 for 38.9 Yahoo FP. The shot wasn't falling perfect (10-25 FG), but he stayed on the floor. As someone who works in orthopedics, I watch his workload closely, and 34 minutes in a close game is exactly where you want him to be managing a body that's asked to do a lot.
No red flags here. He played, he produced at his floor, and there's no injury report fallout that I can see. That's a clean night from a fantasy perspective.
What You Should Do This Week
Herro is worth looking at if he's somehow still available in your league. Grab him off waivers or see if you can get him dirt cheap in a trade. Don't panic on Maxey just because of one weird shooting night. Bam is untouchable, and Embiid is locked in your lineup no matter what. The rest of these guys are role players who had good nights in a specific game. Don't overreact.
The Heat won because their two best fantasy assets played their roles perfectly. That's the baseline, and it's repeatable.