It is hard to watch the Miami Heat right now and not feel a little bit confused about what’s happening with Bam Adebayo.
If you are just scanning box scores, you might think he’s hitting a wall. Honestly, some of the numbers are jarring. Over the Bam Adebayo last 10 games, we have seen a version of the Heat captain that looks uncharacteristically hesitant on the offensive end, yet he remains the literal glue holding a shaky defense together. It is a weird dichotomy.
Miami is currently sitting at 20-19, having gone 5-5 in their last ten. They just dropped three straight on the road to Minnesota, Indiana, and Oklahoma City. In that final game against OKC on January 11, Bam finished with just 6 points. Six. For a three-time All-Star, that feels like a typo. But then you look closer and see he snatched 14 rebounds and dished out 4 assists. He’s doing the "dirty work" while the scoring touch has seemingly gone on a hiatus.
The Scoring Slump is Real (And a Bit Weird)
Let's be real: Bam is in a legitimate shooting funk. Over this recent ten-game stretch, he’s averaging around 10.8 points per game. That is a massive drop-off from his season average of 16.4 and way below the 19.3 he was giving the Heat just two seasons ago.
What's actually happening?
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It isn't just that he's missing; it's that the shot profile has shifted. He’s taking more threes than ever—averaging nearly 2.5 to 3 attempts per game this month—but the efficiency is hovering around 31-32%. While Erik Spoelstra wants him to stretch the floor, it feels like it’s coming at the expense of his dominant paint presence.
Recent Stat Lines (January 2026)
- Jan 11 @ OKC: 6 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists (3-10 FG)
- Jan 10 @ IND: 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists (5-12 FG)
- Jan 6 @ MIN: 7 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists (3-11 FG)
- Jan 4 vs NOP: 12 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists (5-14 FG)
- Jan 3 vs MIN: 12 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists (5-13 FG)
He hasn't cleared the 15-point mark in his last eight outings. For a player with his salary and "franchise cornerstone" status, that’s going to draw heat from the South Florida media. Ethan Skolnick recently pointed out that this is Bam’s lowest offensive output since he became a full-time starter in 2019. It’s a prolonged slump that has fans checking the injury report every five minutes.
Speaking of injuries, he has been nursing some lower-back soreness. He was "probable" for several of these games. You can sort of see it in his movement; he’s not quite as explosive when rolling to the rim.
The Defensive Value Nobody Talks About
While the scoring is "crumbs" right now, his defensive impact is still elite.
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NBA tracking data shows Bam still ranks in the 96th percentile for overall defensive impact. He is switching onto guards, blowing up pick-and-rolls, and covering for teammates who get blown by on the perimeter. If you take Bam off this team during this 5-5 stretch, they probably go 2-8.
His rebounding has actually stepped up to compensate for the lack of scoring. He’s been a double-digit glass-cleaner in three of his last five games. He is basically playing the role of a hyper-elite role player instead of a primary scoring option. Is that enough for Miami to contend? Probably not. But it's keeping them afloat while Tyler Herro works his way back into the lineup and Norman Powell deals with his own absences.
What Needs to Change?
The "three-point experiment" is the elephant in the room. We all love the idea of Bam as a floor spacer. It opens up lanes for Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jimmy Butler. But if he’s shooting 30% from the field because he’s settling for jumpers, the math doesn't work.
He needs more "easy" buckets.
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That means more pick-and-roll finishes and fewer mid-post face-ups where he holds the ball for six seconds before settling for a contested fadeaway. When Bam is aggressive and attacking the rim to get to the free-throw line, the whole Heat offense changes. Right now, he’s barely getting to the stripe—he had zero free throw attempts in the OKC and Minnesota games. That’s a lack of aggression, plain and simple.
Summary of the Bam Adebayo Last 10 Games
To get a clear picture of where things stand, we have to look at the trends.
- Efficiency Dip: He’s shooting under 40% from the field over this stretch, which is unheard of for a center of his caliber.
- Playmaking Hold: Despite the scoring drop, he’s still averaging about 3-4 assists, acting as a secondary hub.
- Volume vs. Impact: He’s taking about 12 shots a game but only producing 10-11 points. The "points per shot" metric is at a career low.
- Health Factor: The back soreness is clearly limiting his "lift" on those signature flip shots.
Actionable Insights for Heat Fans and Analysts:
- Watch the Free Throw Rate: If Bam doesn't attempt at least 5 free throws in the next game against Phoenix, the offensive passivity is still there.
- Monitor the Shot Location: Look for more shots within 5 feet of the rim. If he’s taking 4+ threes, it's a sign Miami is still struggling to find him in his comfort zone.
- Expect a Rebound: Bam had a similar slump in late 2024 and followed it up with a six-week stretch of 20/10 basketball. The history of his career suggests this is a valley, not a permanent plateau.
The Heat need the "All-NBA" Bam back if they want to avoid the play-in tournament again. The defense is there, the rebounding is there, but the scoring needs to wake up before the February trade deadline chatter starts getting loud.