Bam Adebayo scored an impressive 83 points on Tuesday (March 10) against the Washington Wizards, surpassing Kobe Bryant as the second-most scored in an NBA game. While Bam Adebayo celebrated the achievement, many NBA fans felt like the referees officiating the game helped the Miami Heat big man get over.
The NBA world was ablaze with chatter after Bam Adedbayo scored 43 points in the first half alone, and social media was electric with the reactions. Of course, further examination of the game revealed that 36 of the 83 points came at the charity stripe.
Adebayo went 36-43 from the free throw line, an uncommonly high number of fouls even for a big man who floats in and out of the paint at times. Adding to this, when the late Kobe Bryant scored his epic 81 points, he only went to the stripe 20 times, making all but two attempts.
As we’ll see in the reactions below from social media, many fans took note of Adebayo’s game in comparison to Bryant’s. While the Heat were up big on the young and rebuilding Wizards, Bryant had to will his team to victory over the Toronto Raptors during his offensive onslaught in 2006.
Until yesterday, Bryant held the record for second-most points scored in an NBA game, following the legendary Wilt Chamberlain, who scored 100 points in 1962.
Now that Bam Adebayo owns the record, fans are split on how to acknowledge the moment. Most of the commentary we’ve seen suggests that the Black Mamba’s game held more weight, but opinions are certainly varied.
We’ve got the best from all sides below.
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