Heat coach Erik Spoelstra: Bam Adebayo critics can ‘stick it up you know where’

Bam Adebayo scores against Myles Turner during Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NBA Playoffs at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 18, 2020. (Pool, 2020 Getty Images)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra is perfectly happy with how Miami's Bam Adebayo is playing. 

So when Spoelstra was asked about how Adebayo’s level of aggression can vary during the course of games, the Heat coach didn’t mince words.

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"Nobody was paying any attention three years ago to how Bam was playing. And now everybody has an opinion," Spoelstra said. "He's doing the right things for our team. That's all that matters. Everybody else can stick it up you know where."

Adebayo racked up 17 points, 10 rebounds and six assists during Miami’s 113-101 win over the Pacers in Game 1 of their playoff series. Perhaps more importantly, the Heat outscored Indiana by a team-high 23 points when Adebayo was on the floor.

Bam smiled when he heard his coach’s choice words.

"In October, nobody knew who I was. And now everybody has opinions on what I should do and how I should do it," Adebayo said. "I respect (Spoelstra) totally for it. And he understands where we came from and I'm starting to flourish now."

The Heat and Pacers play Game 2 on Thursday afternoon.


About the Author:

Clay Ferraro joined the Local 10 News team in 2014 to take his dream job: covering big-time sports at a first-class station in paradise.