There has been criticism, and it hasn’t exactly been unexpected. The Miami Heat have plenty of spotlights trained on them after completing the signing of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the summer, and that is precisely why they are being scrutinised in such detail.
Seeing them start 0-4 came as a real surprise, and although the sample size was tiny, the alarm bells rang. A lack of fit, thin depth, a defence that kept springing leaks… Everything has been said, but today isn’t the day to talk about that. It’s about the first big combined performance from the aforementioned Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo.
Against a formidable opponent in the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Florida side’s new star recorded 37 points and 9 rebounds, while the big man matched him at an outstanding level with another 37 points and 12 rebounds. With the pair in charge, Miami dominated the Cavs to win 133-121.
“Bam played excellently, with aggression, getting to his preferred spots. I did the same. Every game will be different. There will be moments, like tonight, when we can impose our superiority against other big men, but we can’t force things,” said The Greek Freak about the win over the Ohio side. Here is how they did it.
Miami’s step forward is obvious. With the win in the early hours of this morning, they move to 2-0 in the NBA Cup and reach .500 in the regular season (6-6) after winning six of their last eight games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo sees the finish line as far off
Far from celebrating too soon, the Greek star wants to be as cautious as he is ambitious. He says that although the team is improving, they still have a long way to go before becoming the side they want to be.
“We’re building mutual trust. We must keep working quietly and humbly. There is still a lot to do. We’re not even close to our goal. There’s still plenty of work ahead,” he concluded.
(Photograph by IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
