Heat’s Bam Adebayo gives Wizards their flowers for triple-team strategy

MIAMI – Though the Miami Heat are likely headed to a fourth straight play-in tournament bid, the team is looking to end the regular season on a high note, fueling a 152-136 route over the Washington Wizards. The last time the two teams faced off, Heat star Bam Adebayo scored a historic 83 points against the Wizards on March 10, with the first play of Saturday afternoon’s game harkening back to that contest, garnering the attention of the captain.

In the very first touch of the basketball by Adebayo, Washington would throw three defenders at the big man, looking all too familiar from the 83-point game where the opponent had a hard time stopping the 28-year-old. When Adebayo would be asked about the Wizards’ triple-team strategy, he would smile and give props.

“They did their job, I got six shot attempts,” Adebayo said with a smile.

Bam Adebayo’s reaction to getting three Wizards defenders guarding him on the first play.

“They did their job, I got six shot attempts…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/wNKbp7iwDI

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 4, 2026

The Wizards sent the triple team at Bam Adebayo on his first touch of the game pic.twitter.com/fTbBzR6OhI

— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 4, 2026

While Adebayo didn’t repeat in scoring 83 points on Saturday, he would have an effective stat line in recording 14 points, making three out of his six shots from the field, as the center said.

To go along with nine rebounds and seven assists, he only played 24 minutes in what was a blowout, as Miami scored the second-highest total points in franchise history, passing the aforementioned game against Washington, where Adebayo scored 83.

Bam Adebayo on the undermanned Heat’s win over the Wizards

As the Heat were missing stars Norman Powell and Tyler Herro, the latter being a late scratch as he was announced to be ruled out right before tip-off because of “personal reasons, others picked up the slack aside from Adevayo. Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the way with 32 points on shooting 12 of 18 from the field, with Kel’el Ware having a near triple-double of 24 points, 19 rebounds, and seven blocks.

Andrew Wiggins had 21 points, Pelle Larsson scored 16 with seven rebounds, and the team also saw contributions from Davion Mitchell and Kasparas Jakucionis with 12 and 14, respectively. The two point guards in Mitchell and Jakucionis, also racked up six and nine assists, respectively.

“Positive is we won the game, me being devil’s advocate. We could have finished the game better,” Adebayo said to ClutchPoints after the Heat allowed Washington to score 45 in the fourth quarter. “I wanted some of the younger fellas to get in, but we’ll hold the second unit accountable for that. But yeah, I mean, a lot of positives. The ball was moving.”

Asked Bam Adebayo about the positives to take away from W with the postseason looking uncertain.

“Me being devils advocate, we could have finished the game better. I wanted some of the younger fellas to get in, but we'll hold the second unit accountable for that…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/y82Gu0T9CO

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 4, 2026

Erik Spoelstra on the Heat’s “approach,” plus a Nikola Jovic injury update

Though the Heat’s 2026 postseason pathway looks to run once again through the play-in tournament, the team still has games left to play that could have implications. Head coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about the “solid” approach Miami had coming into the win.

“We’ve had two really good days, the last two days of practice, coming off the disappointing game,” Spoelstra said. “And that’s what you want out of the group, particularly, everything we’ve gone through in these last 10 games is just to focus on solutions and work to get better. And the approach was, was solid. The fourth quarter defense, you know, was not great. But the second and third quarters, I thought there was some great intention throughout the rotation.”

Erik Spoelstra spoke on the approach heading into the rout against the Wizards.

“We’ve had two really good days…coming off the disappointing game. That's what you want out of the group, particularly, everything we've gone through in these last 10 games…” #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/I05UX9EYx1

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 4, 2026

Another key event of the game was the injury to Nikola Jovic, who hadn’t played in a game since the four minutes he recorded on March 21 against the Houston Rockets. Scoring five points before landing awkwardly on a lob attempt in the fourth quarter, looking like his left leg got bent underneath him, the last game he recorded a basket was on Feb. 11 against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Spoelstra would confirm he has a sprained ankle, with an early scan coming back that nothing was broken, but there’s no denying how frustrating a year it’s been with Jovic after receiving the $62.4 million contract extension earlier in the season. As it remains to be seen how long Jovic will miss, the Heat look to build on the win over the Wizards with four games left in the season, as the next three come on the road.

Erik Spoelstra says Nikola Jovic has a sprained ankle, speaks more on his situation, they did a quick scan and nothing was broken. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/cg4khnG57v

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 4, 2026

Miami is 41-37, putting them 10th in the Eastern Conference, with the next outings coming against the seventh-seeded Toronto Raptors (43-34).

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