“Go.”
Of all the words Jimmy Butler had for his teammates, and for himself, after the Miami HEAT lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night, that one stood out. It wasn’t the harshest bit of tough love Butler expressed that evening, but when it came to Bam Adebayo that single emphasized word, nestled into a longer quote about attacking the paint, summed up Butler’s ask entirely.
“Go.”
So, the ball in his hands and the shot clock turned off against the Brooklyn Nets Sunday afternoon, Adebayo went.
If there has been a critique of Adebayo in a season that has been yet another step forward for the young All-Star, it’s that he has at times struggled to balance his growing offensive skillset with the foundational night-to-night role he plays as Miami’s central hub.