Bam Adebayo left the court Monday night thinking he was the first Miami Heat player to ever have a triple-double that included 20 rebounds. He found out Wednesday morning that was not the case.
A rebound originally credited to Adebayo has been given to Duncan Robinson, leaving the center with 19 rebounds, 22 points and 10 assists in the triple-double he compiled in the 108-107 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers.
On the play in question, which occurred in the second quarter, Adebayo blocked a shot by Cam Reddish in the lane, and the loose ball was grabbed by Robinson, not Adebayo. It resulted in one of three rebounds by Robinson in the game.
It was Adebayo’s sixth triple-double with the Heat, a franchise that has had 45 in its history. Jimmy Butler has the most with 11, followed by LeBron James with nine. But neither of those superstars had done what Adebayo looked like he had done, grabbing 20 rebounds as part of a triple-double.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra called the ruling a “buzzkill.”
Obviously unbeknownst to him, Adebayo had a chance to grab the necessary rebound as time expired. James passed up the final shot, instead sending the ball to Reddish, who missed a jumper that was rebounded by Butler.
Adebayo’s standout performance came in a much-needed victory for the Heat, who had won just two of their first six games this season. Leading by 11 points entering the fourth quarter, Miami didn’t score a field goal in the final four minutes but was able to hold on for the win.
The 26-year-old is averaging 21.5 points per game, which would be a career-high for his seven NBA campaigns. He also is at 9.2 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game in six appearances (he missed one game with a hip injury). The University of Kentucky product leads the Heat in rebounding, is second in scoring behind Tyler Herro and is third in assists behind Herro and Kyle Lowry.
After the Heat didn’t make any significant acquisitions this offseason, Adebayo’s continued development and improvement as one of the top big men in the NBA bodes well for Miami’s chances to remain a contender for the championship this season.