Bam Adebayo Game Winner Lifts Heat Past Brooklyn Nets

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 16: Bam Adebayo #13 of the Miami Heat dunks the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter of the game at Target Center on April 16, 2021 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Heat 119-112. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

On Sunday, Bam Adebayo led the Miami Heat to a close win over the Brooklyn Nets.

The game was supposed to be a tough game for Miami, which was without their superstar Jimmy Butler. Butler was sidelined with an injury, and so was Nets’ star, James Harden.

Three minutes into the game, Brooklyn led 8-5, with Kevin Durant scoring all eight points for Brooklyn. Durant exited the game after four minutes due to an injury. It left Brooklyn with just Irving as their lone star on the team.

Miami was able to take advantage of Durant’s absence to go on a 9-0 run to take the lead before taking a 32-31 lead into the second quarter. The game remained close as Brooklyn’s Landry Shamet stepped up his game to help the scoring load for the team.

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Shamet took over the scoring adding 30 points for the Nets and Irving adding 20 points. Miami’s scoring was primarily done by Adebayo, who finished with 21 points and 15 rebounds. Goran Dragić added 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists in the close win.

The game was relatively close throughout. The Heat held a seven-point lead with less than seven minutes left in the game. Brooklyn then went on a 13-0 run to take a commanding 105-99 lead with four minutes remaining. Irving scored two free throws to increase Brooklyn’s lead to 107-101, but the two free throws would be the last time Brooklyn scored.

The Heat proceeded to go on an 8-0 run including Adebayo’s game-winner to power the Heat to a 109-107 win.

For Adebayo, the game-winner was something he always sought. “I wanted to stand up on the table like D-Wade,” Adebayo said with a smile. “But not today.”

The game-winner was the first for the Heat since Dwayne Wade‘s game-winner in 2019. Miami is currently seventh in the Eastern Conference.