Miami Heat: A potential silver lining for Bam Adebayo amid all the losing?

Miami Heat Bam Adebayo (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Miami Heat Bam Adebayo (Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)

Is there a potential silver lining for Bam Adebayo and the Miami Heat amid all the losing to start the season?

In an alternate universe, in which the NBA season ends after 21 games played, the Miami Heat would have to play their way into the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. The Heat is 10-11 and in 10th place in the East. The Heat’s season has been quite disappointing even for the most optimistic of fans.

Miami has battled injuries, inconsistency, and a difficult schedule to begin the season. Even though they’re still hovering around .500, it’s hard to envision this team being able to replicate the success they had last season.

And their shaky start to the season has reinforced that belief.

However, through their early-season struggles, is there a silver lining that the team can cling to? There may be. And it’s the fact that Bam Adebayo has started to look like a superstar over the last handful of games.

Has it all clicked for Bam Adebayo?

During the team’s last seven games, Bam has looked like a completely different player – in a good way. He’s dominating the game on an entirely different level. Not only is he doing it on the defensive end of the floor but he’s also doing so offensively – a part of his game that had been lacking over the last few years, even though he certainly had the talent and ability.

In his last seven games, Bam is averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists on 54 percent shooting from the field. To put those numbers into context, during the first seven games of the season, Bam averaged 17 points, eight rebounds, and three assists per game on 54 percent shooting from the field.

But it’s not just empty stat padding. In the team’s last seven games, the Heat is 5-2. Not only is Bam dominating, but the team is benefiting from such dominance.

The big question for both the Heat and Bam is whether this level of production (and dominance) is sustainable. When you look at Bam’s measurables and attributes, you would assume that it is on paper. It’s the aggressiveness that many have called him to have all his career that has suddenly changed.

The big test of whether or not Bam has finally taken the final step to superstardom will come when the team is complete. Will this aggressiveness still be present when Jimmy Butler rejoins the team?

Before we anoint Bam, we have to see him do it consistently for a longer period of time. And next to Jimmy. If he can prove it, perhaps the Heat may have a lifeline this season after all. Perhaps the Heat’s early-season losing didn’t come in vain.