The NBA world is still arguing about the match between Miami Heat and Washington Wizards, in which Bam Adebayo scored 83 points, second highest-scoring individual performance in NBA history, surpassing Kobe Bryant's record of 81 points, and only behind the unrealistic 100 points scored by Wilt Chamberlain in 1962.
However, his feat was downplayed and criticised by many people online, including reporters, because his teammates clearly helped him to have him score as many points as possible, as the match reached a point where the gap between Miami and Washington was so big that the match had stopped being competitive. 36 of those points came were free throws, from 43 attempts.
Those critics often forget that he had scored 31 in the first quarter, and already reached career high of 43 in halftime, and that was without "theatrics". It was in the middle of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter when the narrative clearly became how much can Adebayo score.
Adebayo defended by teammates
Keshad Johnson, his Miami Heat teammate, wrote a column in The Athletic, said that he and his teammates were "trying to do whatever it took to allow him to have his moment", and that he often says that he wants to go for 40 points (his previous record was 41 points), but also praised him for knowing that "his role for this team is bigger than that. He does whatever it takes, whatever his team needs: on the defensive end, rebounding, all of that. As a teammate, he's what you want as a leader."
Marcus Thompson II, columnists in The Athletic, also defended Adebayo, who embodies the "inspiration of resilience, the warmth of a respected teammate, the soul of a throwback hooper". "He took 43 shots and 43 free throws. Give most NBA players the same green light, and they wouldn't get 83. Simply getting up that many requires impressive strength and endurance."