As the talk of the sports world still seems to surround Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo scoring 83 points, making him have the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, there has been some outrage aside from celebration. While there are some who question the “ethics” of the Heat's captain scoring 83 points, team president Pat Riley has revealed his thoughts on the matter.
Adebayo passed Kobe Bryant's mark of 81 points in 2006, which only puts him behind Wilt Chamberlain, who had the legendary mark of 100 points in 1962. Despite a historic game from Adebayo, people would question the fourth quarter of Tuesday's 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards, as the star recorded 43 free throws with Miami having at least intentionally fouled and missed a free throw to save time or gain more possessions.
Riley would speak to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, calling the negative discourse “bull****.” The basketball icon would also say that in Chamberlain's 100-point game, the “tactics” used were the same.
“Anybody who talked about it the way they talked about it in a negative way, they’re trying to either get views, hits, or they’re podcasters and that’s their job,” Riley said.
“There are critics today that are just so unjustified in what was going on with the tactics, and we were fouled, and they were fouled. The same thing happened with Wilt Chamberlain when he got 100 back in the day,” Riley continued. “They took an iconic, absolute incredible performance, and they tried to dismiss it. And that’s not fair.”
Heat's Pat Riley on how “happy” he is for Bam Adebayo
With some in the basketball space defending Adebayo and the Heat amidst the polarizing discourse, there's no denying the respect that the 28-year-old has around the league. Riley would echo the same sentiments, saying how “happy” he is for Adebayo and how the moment itself has to “rank it up there as one of those great experiences.”
At any rate, as Adebayo scoring 83 points will live in NBA history, the star and Miami look to extend their seven-game winning streak on Saturday against the Orlando Magic.
