The New Offensive Dimension of the Miami Heat: “Everyone’s Involved”
The Miami Heat’s offensive season has started on the right foot, and Bam Adebayo, in a recent interview, talked about how the team is taking on a new identity under Coach Spoelstra’s leadership
Bam Adebayo is proud of the evolution of the “new” Heat’s playing style. After scoring 144 points against the Grizzlies and defeating the Knicks 115–107, they dropped another 146 points on the unfortunate Hornets.
Even though only four games have been played so far, the shift in philosophy introduced by Spoelstra hasn’t gone unnoticed: more points in transition, fewer dribbles, and a clear focus on the offensive side of the floor. Statistically, over the past ten seasons – all under Spoelstra – the Heat had recorded a maximum pace of 98 (a metric measuring the number of possessions per 48 minutes); this year, that number has jumped to 108.8, the highest in the entire league so far.
Adebayo, captain and leader of the Heat in recent years, commented on the team’s transformation, highlighting how Jaquez and Wiggins – along with new additions, including Italy’s Simone Fontecchio and especially Norman Powell (averaging 24 points per game so far) – have benefited from this change of pace.
When we get out in transition, it’s probably the first time in my career that we’ve played with such a strong emphasis on speed – and we’re doing it the right way. That’s what I like most: we share the ball, everyone’s involved, and everyone feels like they have a role
Bam Adebayo via ClutchPoints
Miami is still without Tyler Herro (ankle issue), and it will be interesting to see how the Heat’s play and season evolve once No. 14 returns to the court- and whether, as minutes pile up, the team can maintain this rhythm or if it will turn out to be just a bright early-season phase.