Miami Heat All-Star Bam Adebayo certainly made Kevin Love proud with the way he locked down Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry in the waning moments of their game at American Airlines Arena on Thursday.
After all, Bam's clutch defensive stop for the Heat against the two-time NBA MVP had shades of Love's impeccable D on Chef Curry in the dying seconds of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals.
While Love is not exactly known for being a lockdown defender, Heat fans know he did put up quite a defensive effort at one point. Let's first take a trip down memory lane to jog your memory.
Fast forward to Thursday's match between the Heat and Dubs: Adebayo saw himself in a familiar situation as he had the daunting task of blanketing Curry following a switch. Curry, of course, is a walking mismatch for almost every defense in the league, let alone for a big guy like Adebayo.
Article Continues BelowThe 23-year-old Heat slotman, however, stood his ground and stayed in front of the shifty Curry, all the while avoiding fouling him on the possession. Bam did not fall for Curry's crossovers and even managed to contest the shot, forcing the Dubs' superstar to throw an airball.
Bam showing his versatility defending Steph here: pic.twitter.com/t80n6c0CP0
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) April 2, 2021
The Heat escaped with a 116-109 victory, thanks in large part to Adebayo's heroics. He finished with 19 points (5-of-13 FG), eight boards, six assists, one block, and of course, one heck of a defensive stop. Curry still got his numbers, dropping a game-high 36 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, but Bam certainly clamped him down on this play.
The Heat are above .500 and — given the bunched nature of the Eastern Conference standings — are still in the hunt for the No. 4 playoff seed in the East. Given how last year's playoffs unfolded, and with Victor Oladipo now on the roster, Miami will have a chance to compete in the East if it can become healthy and whole by the time the playoffs begin.