We’re now two days removed from one of the most remarkable single-game performances in the history of professional sports when Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in an NBA game against the Washington Wizards. And after scores of analysts and media members tried to tear it down, Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is having none of it.
Bam’s 83-point game came from out of nowhere, statistically speaking. But by setting the second-highest single-game scoring total in NBA history and passing Kobe Bryant’s modern era record of 81 points, how he got to 83 has come under the microscope.
Adebayo, Spoelstra, and the Heat have taken a number of criticisms for stat chasing, especially in the closing minutes. The Heat constantly fed the ball to Bam, fouled to get the ball back, and even intentionally missed a free throw to try to get him another possession. It all felt a little calamitous at the end of the game, but there’s no denying that Adebayo scored 31 in the first quarter and had 62 entering the fourth.
Before the Heat took the floor for their game on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, Erik Spoelstra met with the media and refused to apologize to anyone, instead choosing to celebrate his captain and the historic performance.
When @ByTimReynolds asked Erik Spoelstra about the reaction to Bam Adebayo’s 83 point performance.
“I apologize to absolutely no one. Period.” pic.twitter.com/ALtNGCWsdC
— Mike Cugno (@MikeCugnoCBS4) March 12, 2026
“I apologize to absolutely no one. Period,” Spoelstra said. “Going into the game, it’s a Tuesday night game against a team where they’re not playing for anything, where their organization is trying to lose. We’ve already lost a game in that kind of situation. We have players that are sitting out and I spoke to Bam about, I want as our best player and team captain, for him to be locked in and ready. And he sure was.”
Spoelstra also addressed the criticism that the Heat’s tactics in the closing minutes were unethical. He cited other tactics that NBA coaches use such as fouling up three or the Hack-A-Shaq strategy. He also said the game was much closer than many realized and that his Heat team was locked in on doing everything they could to win the contest.
Asked Erik Spoelstra about critics questioning the “ethics” of Bam Adebayo’s 83-point game.
“I don’t care…I would do it 10 times out of 10 again…I think most people that probably made comments didn’t watch, that’s irresponsible or unethical…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/6iBMAi1P0A
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 12, 2026
“I’m not losing any sleep over what other people are saying about it. What’s ethical, what’s not? Is fouling a three-point shooter? Is that ethical or not? Is fouling a bad free-throw shooter and getting extra possessions or not? All this stuff happened under two minutes. He had already broken a bunch of records, and we’re going to go for it. It was just an amazing moment to be a part of that. And I would do it 10 times out of 10 again for Bam, “Spoelstra said.
“I think most of the people that probably made comments, they didn’t watch the game. That’s irresponsible or unethical. You don’t even understand the context of the game. It was a 13-point game. i remember going back to the huddle after a timeout and Quinny said, ‘we got to win this game’… Everything was, I would say fairly conventional if you want to say that, until those final two minutes. And then we have the autonomy to do whatever we want in those two minutes, whether people think it’s pure or ethical or not. What a spectacular moment for Bam and this franchise and this city,” Spoelstra added.
Realistically, anyone who scores 83 points in a game is going to have to stat chase at some point. But the legitimate chances of an NBA player doing that are so few and far between that you can’t blame Erik Spoelstra, Bam Adebayo, and the Miami Heat for going for it. If anything, it was the Wizards’ defense that was as much at fault for Bam shooting 43 free throws than refs with happy whistles or anything nefarious done by the Heat.