Why Heat’s Bam Adebayo is ‘not satisfied’ just yet with new fast offense
**Miami Heat Showcase New Offensive Style in Early Wins, But Bam Adebayo Seeks More Consistency**
MIAMI — In the Miami Heat’s early statement win over the New York Knicks, the team once again displayed its revamped offensive style to impressive results. While the players are clearly enjoying the new approach, key stars like Bam Adebayo aren’t fully satisfied just yet.
Despite the Knicks focusing on slowing down Miami — the fastest team in the NBA by pace, averaging 112.3 possessions per 48 minutes — by ramping up their man-to-man defensive pressure and clogging driving lanes, the Heat overcame the adversity. Although the game started slowly, Miami gained momentum by creating quick offense and capitalizing in transition, tallying 31 fastbreak points to seal the victory.
The talk throughout training camp and preseason has centered on the team’s new offensive philosophy. Players have cited the demanding regimen they endured to keep up the pace. With results showing through three games, Bam Adebayo told ClutchPoints he still wants more.
“We’re not satisfied, we still want to keep this pace up throughout the whole season,” Adebayo said. “It’s not just the first five to 10 games; we want to do this the whole season, because when you build it as a habit and then you get into the next stage of the season, that’s when it really matters. That’s when people tend to slow down.”
“And you know, for us, we want to keep that pace, so when we get in the playoffs, it’s kind of like, everybody’s trying to play half-court offense, and we’re getting the ball off running,” Adebayo continued. “And like I said, you feel alive because everybody feels involved.”
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**Adebayo Calls the Win Over the Knicks a “Fun Miami Win”**
Following a blowout victory over the Memphis Grizzlies last Friday, the Sunday win against the Knicks, and even an opening loss to the Orlando Magic, the Heat have established a clear offensive identity. This shift was much needed, considering the team’s previous struggles ranking near the bottom of the league in offensive rating and pace.
Combining that offensive approach with the resilience they showed against New York, Adebayo described the performance as a “fun Miami win.”
“I just like we kept fighting through, man, like that’s a fun Miami win,” Adebayo told ClutchPoints after scoring 19 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. “It’s one or two points and you break it open, so it gets about 15, and then they break and they push it back to like eight, and then it’s a nail-biter for like the last four minutes. And we’ve seen in the past how those can go towards us.”
“But having that resilience, that bounce back to, obviously, keep chipping forward,” he added. “I don’t think we ran a play today, and those are the type of wins that you enjoy, because, like I said, you don’t run a play? And you’re still out there getting 115.”
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**Other Heat Players Thrilled as Their Hard Work Pays Off**
The Heat’s promising results are also thanks to the right personnel buying into the system. Newcomer Norman Powell has transitioned seamlessly, and players like Jaime Jaquez Jr. are benefiting from the approach. Coming off a sophomore slump, Jaquez contributed an impactful 17 points off the bench, along with five rebounds and five assists.
“It’s very satisfying,” Jaquez said. “I think we’re all happy. I think we’ve all deserved this. We put in a lot of work as a team every single day, grinding, grinding away at this new offense and defense that we’re putting in, and it’s great to see these results pay.”
Andrew Wiggins, while scoring nine points, made a strong defensive impact and hit a crucial three-pointer late in the game to help ice the win as the Knicks threatened to rally with 1:20 remaining.
“For sure, we work so hard in training camp, it was a very tough training camp,” Wiggins told ClutchPoints. “It prepared us for, you know, these games. You know, we feel like we’re in better shape than anybody. Keep pushing the wall, playing fast.”
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**Looking Ahead**
So far, the Heat are averaging 109.67 possessions per 48 minutes—the fastest pace in the league. Miami looks to sustain their impressive style of play as they head into Tuesday night’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets.
With the team’s offensive identity becoming clearer by the game, the challenge will be maintaining this speed and resilience throughout the long NBA season. If Bam Adebayo and company can keep their pace, Miami may have a thrilling season ahead.
https://clutchpoints.com/nba/miami-heat/heat-news-why-bam-adebayo-is-not-satisfied-just-yet-with-new-fast-offense
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