Miami Heat newcomer Kyle Lowry recently offered some insight into what makes the Heat such a good defensive team.
He gave credit to several players, but when it came to Bam Adebayo, he made an especially bold statement, claiming that Adebayo “probably should win Defensive Player of the Year.”
“Our first unit, we’re vets,” Lowry explained when asked about the team’s defensive prowess. “We kinda got guys who are switchables, and you got P.J. [Tucker] and Jimmy [Butler]. Jimmy is probably one of the best two-way players in the game. P.J. is one of the best defensive guys out there, and Bam, he probably should win Defensive Player of the Year.”
Adebayo does a lot of things very well, but his defense is undoubtedly one of the most valuable elements of his game.
He’s an extremely versatile defender and is capable of guarding anyone on the floor at a high level. One Heat big man recently explained that he’s learning how to defend guards by watching Adebayo.
In the Heat’s most recent game, Adebayo showcased his ability to defend one of the top young players in the NBA in Luka Doncic. His contributions on both ends of the floor led to Miami getting a 125-110 victory.
So far this season, the 24-year-old Adebayo is averaging 20.8 points, 13.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest. He’s shooting 51.1 percent from the field.
The Heat are looking like a legitimate title contender through seven games, and Adebayo is largely to thank. It’ll be fascinating for fans to see where he goes from here.