Adebayo doesn't shrink in first taste of playoffs
PHILADELPHIA — Bam Adebayo’s first playoff experience brought him back to his one year at Kentucky.
The Heat’s 6-foot-10 rookie said the atmosphere during Game 1 of the opening-round series against Philadelphia reminded him of college, especially the Wildcats’ Elite Eight game against North Car- olina, which they lost 75-73.
“It’s an indescri b able moment,” Adebayo, 20, said Monday after the Heat’s shootaround to prepare for Game 2 at Wells Fargo Center. The Heat trailed the series 0-1 after being pounded in the second half of a 130-103 loss Saturday.
“This is my first time, but I’m grateful to get out there,” he said. “It was fun to be out there with my teammates in the first one. We’re looking to make a push.”
Adebayo played 21 min- utes in his playoff debut, scoring six points and grab- bing one rebound. Coach Erik Spoelstra used Adebayo in his center rotation with Kelly Olynyk as starting cen- ter Hassan Whiteside logged just 12 minutes.
“He’s playing and he’s contributing,” Spoelstra said. “He doesn’t get sick at sea. It’s not the same in college, but he’s been in some big- time situations before. It’s how you manage emotions and focus on only the task at hand and he does that very well.”
Dwyane Wade compared Adebayo’s poise to that of Sixers rookie point guard Ben Simmons.
“He’s a good basketball player, he played good basketball (in Game 1) like he’s done all year,” Wade said. “He hasn’t played like a rookie (this season). Some guys are just special like that. He plays like Ben Simmons plays. Obviously if you can do this on this playoff level it’s even more heightened, even more impressive if you constantly continue to do it.” Adebayo played in 69 games this season, starting 19. He averaged 6.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.8 minutes. He benefited from Whiteside missing 28 games because of various injuries.