‘Boredom’ is finally over for Adebayo in return from injury

For Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, the past two weeks have provided the unlikely combination of boredom and joy.

He said Tuesday that is why he is glad to be back in the mix after missing four games with knee tendinitis.

Asked after the morning shootaround at AmericanAirlines Arena what it was like to be reduced to spectator, having not previously missed a game due to injury the past two seasons, he said, “bored as hell.”

But he said the Heat going 4-0 during that span took away some of the edge.

“I mean, obviously seeing my teammates win and have that joy, you want to be part of that,” he said. “So, I was sitting there and I’m bored as hell.”

Although he traveled with the Heat for the March 4 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, he was unable to talk coach Erik Spoelstra into allowing him to play. He said it ultimately became apparent that the pain required time away, rating it a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.

“But you know,” he said, “I don’t like to make excuses.”

“My process is coming along great. I’m just getting healthy, keep rehabbing”

In his absence, Kelly Olynyk flourished as the focus of the power rotation, with Chris Silva and Precious Achiuwa also getting minutes.

“It was good to see those guys get their opportunity,” Adebayo said ahead of Tuesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Kelly’s been with me since my rookie year, so I’ve always known what Kelly can do.

“You put me and him together on the court when he’s playing like that, it makes the game easier for a lot of people.”

Adebayo said having most of the team back at work has been heartening.

“Getting most of us healthy and getting us back makes the chemistry better,” he said. “We can be in the locker like brothers again, which I know is social distanced, but having everybody there is better than missing three or four guys.

“And it’s good to see our team being back in full health.”

Marketing madness:

Adebayo laughed when asked about teammate Tyler Herro getting a signature bowl at Chipotle, with a chain offering special promotion on Tyler Tuesdays.

“He’s sees opportunity, he seeks it,” he said of his fellow University of Kentucky product. “He’s one of those kids that’s just always trying different situations. It doesn’t shock me for him to have his own cereal and have his own Tyler Tuesday Chipotle bowl.

“Kid’s marketing himself great.”

For those needing to know, Herro’s creation is brown rice, pinto beans, half steak, half chicken, sour cream, cheese and guacamole.

It is Chipotle’s first regional celebrity menu item, with Herro the first NBA player with a signature bowl.

Less madness: Adebayo said the NCAA Tournament hasn’t led to typical locker-room debate this year, and for reasons beyond Kentucky failing to make the bracket.

“It’s been a crazy year, man,” he said of limited attendance, rescheduling and other pandemic impacts. “I always felt people were really locked into March Madness, [but] it doesn’t have that college experience this year. So I don’t feel like a lot of guys have been really locked into it.”

Of course, there is the matter of Gonzaga. Olynyk’s school, being the Tournament’s top seed.

“We’re not in the same conference, so I don’t hear that,” said Adebayo, who said the locker-room rivalries are stronger with Udonis Haslem (Florida) and Silva (South Carolina), as Southeastern Conference rivals.

“Kelly doesn’t really involve himself in the little antics and the chatter when it comes to college. It’s a subtle flex, ‘Yeah, you know, uh, Gonzaga’s number one,’ and then he’ll just walk away.”

Butler’s chance: Asked about teammate Jimmy Butler not being perceived as a candidate fort NBA Most Valuable Player, Adebayo said that is a factor of the team’s slow start.

He also believes that has changed.

“I don’t think he’s that far from MVP candidate,” he said.

MIAMI HEAT COURTESY Heat center Bam Adebayo is back on his feet and moving past his knee tendinitis.