Bam Adebayo Delivers Hope Of Stopping Bleeding From Miami Heat's Losing Streak

While the result of Wednesday’s 113-110 nationally-televised loss to the Detroit Pistons wasn’t what the Miami Heat wanted, the beginning provided everything anyone associated with the franchise that currently owns the NBA’s longest losing streak could’ve hoped for.

ESPN cameras caught Bam Adebayo motivating the huddle just before the team took the court for tip-off as head coach Erik Spoelstra looked on, clearly enjoying the message being conveyed. Adebayo then played one of his most productive halves of the season, finishing with 20 points and six rebounds.

All-Star Cade Cunningham had the final word, banking in a 3-pointer over an outstretched Adebayo with less than a second remaining. Adebayo’s 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists weren’t enough to prevent a ninth straight defeat, but the passion was there. His leadership was evident, both through his words and his performance.

If the Heat are going to do anything but simply play out the string, that must continue.

“Obviously you want that win. You’re right there,” Adebayo said post-game, unwilling to partake in anything resembling a moral victory.

Still, Adebayo scored 30 points for the third time this month after doing so just three times over his first 56 games. His 24 field goal attempts matched a season-high. Mentor Udonis Haslem was just on TV hours earlier saying he’d been in Adebayo’s ear about making the most of this adversity and showing the nation what “Heat culture” is all about, so that message is being received.

The Heat will look to keep their losing streak from reaching double-figures against a Houston team that did them a favor on Wednesday, knocking off Orlando. Early numbers have the Rockets favored at Kaseya Center despite them not winning on Biscayne Blvd. since 2018. Miami owns a nine-game win streak over Houston and won at the Toyota Center 104-100 on Dec. 29, ironically turning around a fourth-quarter deficit.

The hope is that Andrew Wiggins (leg contusion) can return since the Heat needs all hands on deck, especially with Houston expected to get its top athlete, wing Amen Thompson (ankle), back from a multi-game absence.

In addition to Adebayo’s big night, there’s plenty to build on as a five-game homestand that culminates with visits from the Warriors, Hornets and Hawks continues. Miami got a double-double out of Kel’el Ware, clutch shooting down the stretch from Herro in a 29-point performance, and solid outings from Duncan Robinson and Davion Mitchell against Detroit.

Burks returned from his back issues, bumping Terry Rozier from the rotation, but Miami blew another fourth-quarter lead and dropped its 19th game in which it led by double-digits, tops in the NBA. The Heat have now been outscored by 138 points in fourth quarters since Feb. 1.

Wednesday’s painful ending won’t overshadow that Adebayo was everything the Heat need him to be going forward. He was the outspoken vocal leader early, got the team off to a strong start by being aggressive, paced them in assists, rebounded well, took the most shots and got the call to be the primary defender against the opponent’s best player with the game on the line.

Adebayo consistently emerging as the leader Miami has been grooming him to be since drafting him with the final pick in the lottery in 2017 isn’t going to solve all of these team’s issues, but it’s the biggest key to overcoming some of them and achieving some late-season success in what has been a largely forgettable 2024-25 run.

With the Butler era in the past, the franchise’s fortunes ride on Bam’s shoulders.

Tony Mejia is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at tnyce1414@gmail.com