Heat coach Erik Spoelstra apologizing to no one for handling of Bam Adebayo's 83-point game

Adam Lichtenstein, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Mar 12, 2026

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MIAMI — While the Heat were celebrating Bam Adebayo’s record-setting, 83-point performance, the larger sports world was reacting with less enthusiasm.

ESPN commentator Chris “Mad Dog” Russo called it a “complete disgrace.” Fellow ESPN analyst Tim McMahon said, “It was honestly just awful, hideous, disgusting basketball down the stretch. I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever want to hear about Heat culture, professionalism, and all that crap again because that was the most blatant stat-chasing.” FS1’s Craig Carton called it a “disgrace to basketball.”

Before Miami faced Milwaukee on Thursday, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra took the time to explain himself — he had no intention of apologizing.

“I apologize to absolutely no one,” Spoelstra said. “Period.”

“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 who were 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.”

Adebayo got off to a hot start, scoring 31 points in the first quarter, setting the pace for a record night.

“The way he played in the first quarter had nothing to do with what happened afterwards,” Spoelstra said. “It was about our opportunity. And as a leader of the team, he approached that game appropriately.”

Spoelstra added: And the fact that he was still in the game at the end — this is what our fans want to see and what you really want to see in this league for there to be some competitive storylines. And then a brilliant, magical night just appeared out of nowhere, and he seized that opportunity.”

Thirty-six of Adebayo’s 83 points came on free throws. He went to the line for 43 shots in Miami’s win over Washington. The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league this year with a record of 16-48.

“I’ve seen people say, ‘You’ve got to be a purist.’ I’m a Darwinist in this league. Really,” Spoelstra said. “You can do anything you want in this game. You can approach it however you want. We get criticized for what we do. There was probably irony in these two organizations. There’s nothing wrong with what they’re doing. If you can tank and get a great draft pick, I don’t care. You can do anything you want in this league. You can approach it however you want. We don’t do that.”

Spoelstra said Adebayo’s dominant night was good for Heat fans and for the rest of the team.

“Our fan base is electrified by this moment,” Spoelstra said. “This locker room has wanted something.”

Spoelstra also said he texted Heat legend Dwyane Wade, who recently said on his podcast that there wasn’t a “buzz” around the team like there was when he was on the team.

“There’s going to be a buzz now,” Spoelstra said.

Some fans and pundits have called the Heat’s approach “unethical.” Spoelstra does not care. He said he would do it “10 out of 10” times.

“I’m not losing any sleep over what other people are saying about it. What’s ethical, what’s not?” Spoelstra said. “Fouling a three-point shooter, is that ethical or not? Fouling a bad free-throw shooter and getting extra possessions or not?”

Spoelstra said Adebayo deserved praise and that he would not change how he coached.

“I would do it 10 times out of 10 again for Bam,” Spoelstra said. “I’m apologizing to nobody about this. I feel just so awesome for Bam because he is about all the right things.”