Denver Nuggets Coach Michael Malone Says Team Can ‘Live With’ Bam Adebayo’s Game 1 Performance
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo was the story of Game 1, going for a postseason-high 26 points on 13 of 25 shooting against the Denver Nuggets.
Apparently, Nuggets coach Michael Malone is OK with that.
“We didn't go in saying we're going to make Bam Adebayo beat us,” Malone said. “We came in with full respect for Bam Adebayo. But if you're going to score 26 points on 25 shots, that's something we're willing to live with.”
To Malone’s point, Adebayo isn’t typically the team’s scoring leader. Many fans were happy to see his aggressiveness but Jimmy Butler is still expected to be the frontrunner on that end. Miami is 11-4 this postseason when Butler leads in points. He only went 6 of 14 for 13 points in Game 1, which needs to change going forward. His ability to explode for superstar performances lifted the Heat past the Milwaukee Bucks and New York Knicks.
But make no mistake, Adebayo should continue getting to the rim for high-scoring affairs. His size is necessary to match Denver, and Butler needs to have a No. 2 option in case Gabe Vincent and Caleb Martin don’t perform. Malone knows how crucial Adebayo is for the team’s success.
“He's a very effective player,” Malone said. “He can play make, he can rebound and push, score in the pocket, get offensive rebounds. Whatever it is, Bam can control the game in a lot of different ways; that's the reason he's an All-Star. We just have to make sure that we are working, contesting, and making him feel us as best as possible.”
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
