Bam Adebayo drops 83!

Adebayo's historic performance occurred on March 10, 2026, at the Kaseya Center in Miami, where the Heat defeated the Washington Wizards 150-129. He started hot, scoring 31 points in the first quarter alone, and had 43 by halftime. By the end of the third, he reached 62 points, surpassing LeBron James' Heat single-game record of 61. Adebayo's final stat line included 20-43 from the field, 7-22 from three-point range, and a record-breaking 36-43 from the free-throw line. His 36 free throws made and 43 free throws attempted both set new NBA single-game records. The previous record for free throw attempts was 39, held by Dwight Howard, and the previous record for free throws made was 28, first set by Wilt Chamberlain. Entering the game, Adebayo was averaging 18.9 points per game, with a prior career-high of 41 points. The Heat were without key players such as Norman Powell and Tyler Herro. Following the game, Adebayo was emotional, hugging his mother, Marilyn Blount. Reactions poured in, with Wizards head coach Brian Keefe offering a backhanded compliment, calling the fourth quarter "not real basketball". Even A'ja Wilson, Adebayo's girlfriend and a four-time WNBA MVP, playfully responded on social media, saying Adebayo's performance gave her "something to go after". Giannis Antetokounmpo noted that "in 30 years from now, nobody's going to remember how many free throws he shot". With the win, Miami improved to 37-29 and extended their winning streak to six games. The Wizards, on the other hand, fell to 16-48 as they continue to struggle this season. The Wizards' defense struggled, as they rank third in the NBA in allowing free throws.