Bam Adebayo out of slump as Miami Heat entertain Boston Celtics in NBA

MIAMI – Bam Adebayo may have rediscovered his National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star form.

The 28-year-old, who will lead the Miami Heat on Jan 15 night (Jan 16 morning, Singapore time) against the visiting Boston Celtics, had been out of sorts for a couple of weeks.

During the earlier seven games that he played, he averaged just 11.1 points. But on Jan 13 in a 127-121 home win over the Phoenix Suns, he poured in a game-high 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting (73.3 per cent).

Adebayo was particularly dominant late in the fourth quarter as he scored 13 consecutive points for Miami.

“He’s our engine,” Heat reserve Jaime Jaquez Jr said.

“He’s the heart of this team. I’m so happy for him to have a game like this. He was due.”

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said Adebayo “earned” his great game because of the way he played defence even before his fourth-quarter offensive explosion.

“The ball found the right karma,” Spoelstra said of Adebayo’s success. “He’s a great competitor in this league.”

Adebayo moved into second place on the franchise’s all-time scoring list with 9,461 points, overtaking Alonzo Mourning (9,459). Dwyane Wade (21,556) holds the club record.

The only bad Heat news coming out of game was a shoulder injury sustained by starting point guard Davion Mitchell. He is listed as doubtful.

Spoelstra also commented on the developing chemistry between his two most dynamic scorers – Norman Powell, who is new to the team this season, and Tyler Herro, who has been hurt most of the season.

“Give us a little bit of time. It will get better,” he said. “We love (the pairing) because the other team has to make decisions. Who are you putting on who? The synergy will be there if we play the way we need to play.”

Meanwhile, the Celtics are suddenly slumping. After winning five of six games, Boston were held to 95 and 96 points in consecutive losses.

On Jan 12, the Celtics lost 98-96 to one of the worst teams in the NBA, the Indiana Pacers.

It did not help that Boston’s Jaylen Brown – who is sixth in the NBA with 29.5 points per game – missed the clash due to back spasms.

The Celtics, though, beat the Heat 129-116 in December in Boston in the teams’ only meeting so far this season. Boston were led in that game by Derrick White (33 points) and Brown (30).

Besides Brown and White, another Celtics player who has stepped up is Payton Pritchard, who is averaging career highs in points (17.0) and assists (5.3).

Pritchard, who started a combined 17 games in his first five years in the league, has started all 39 Celtics contests this season.

“Starting has been a little bit of an adjustment,” the 27-year-old said in an interview with NBC Sports. “I hadn’t (started on a full-time basis) since college. I’ve had to figure out the feel, how to get my teammates involved and how to get to my spots.”

Meanwhile in NBA action on Jan 14, Jamal Murray scored 33 points to lead the visiting Denver Nuggets to a 118-109 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Denver made it three straight victories and remained in second spot in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere, Donovan Mitchell scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half to highlight the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 133-107 road victory over the Philadelphia 76ers.

DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points as the Sacramento Kings posted their third straight win by overcoming the visiting New York Knicks 112-101. REUTERS