\n
![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_Jackson_Barry_mug.jp_2_1_GDETHNSG_L434902367.JPG\")
\n <\/a><\/p>\n
The hapless Washington Wizards visit Kaseya Center on Saturday hoping to preserve their 14% odds of securing the top pick in next month\u2019s draft lottery. And if they can hold Bam Adebayo below 83 points, even better!<\/p>\n
When the Wizards last visited South Florida on March 10, they were utterly helpless to stop Adebayo from producing the second-highest single game point total in NBA history on a surreal night in which the Heat\u2019s captain scored 31 points in the first quarter and set an NBA record with 36 free throws in 43 attempts.<\/p>\n
Wizards coach Brian Keefe suggested after the game that Adebayo was the beneficiary of bad calls and that the Heat didn\u2019t handle the situation properly. Adebayo responded by saying Keefe should be blamed for not sending a second defender at him until he had scored 70.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the fourth quarter, it turned into not a real basketball game,\u201d Keefe said, noting that the Heat kept Adebayo in despite a large lead. (Erik Spoelstra said afterward that he apologizes \u201cto absolutely no one.\u201d)<\/p>\n
Keefe lamented that Adebayo \u201cgot some free throws 40 feet from the rim. I can\u2019t explain some of those calls.\u201d He credited Adebayo\u2019s performance \u2014 which topped Kobe Bryant\u2019s 81-point game in 2006 \u2014 only for what he did before halftime.<\/p>\n
\u201cI give him credit in the first half… He shot the ball terrific,\u201d Keefe said.<\/p>\n
Do Keefe\u2019s comments add a chip on his shoulder their rematch Saturday? \u201cNo,\u201d Adebayo said, reiterating \u201cit\u2019s their fault\u201d because the Wizards didn\u2019t double team him more or defend him better.<\/p>\n
Does he expect more pushback from Washington on Saturday? \u201cYeah,\u201d he said. \u201cNobody wants to get 80 dropped on them. Players might go off script and not listen [to Keefe] and try something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
One question Saturday is whether the Wizards will be more a lot physical against Adebayo if he gets off to another scorching start.<\/p>\n
Spoelstra said Friday he expects a potentially different response from the Wizards, adding \u201cWashington will probably be motivated more so than in a normal game.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be honest; I\u2019m disgusted by the Wizards,\u201d TNT\u2019s Charles Barkley said a day after the 83-point game. \u201cAs a competitor, you\u2019ve got to go dirty. When you\u2019re down 20, and the game is over, and now a team is like, \u2018Just go for the record,\u2019 you\u2019re disrespecting me.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s so lucky he\u2019s playing in 2026. We would have knocked him on his [butt]. We would\u2019ve killed him back in the day. And I\u2019m not doing any hyperbole or anything. In my day, if you\u2019re up 20 and shooting a three, we\u2019re going to put your [butt] in the stands. That was like an unwritten rule.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adebayo – who did much of his damage against Alex Sarr, Will Riley and Tristan Vukcevic – said he\u2019s prepared if the Wizards get physical. \u201cThen I shoot 43 free throws again,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This and that<\/p>\n
Heat guard Norman Powell, who has missed the past three games with an upper respiratory infection, returned to practice Friday but said he won\u2019t play Saturday while he works himself back into game condition. Powell is the only Heat player listed as out for the Wizards game (3 p.m., FanDuel Sports Sun).<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t want to rush it and get a soft tissue injury if my body is not ready,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m going to take the next couple of days to get back in playing shape and get the rust off. Long week of being sick, out of it, fatigue, body aches, not being able to move [or get] out of bed. I feel like I got hit by a semi-truck.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can hear I\u2019m congested. It feels good to be back in here and try to get back as soon as possible. Don\u2019t want to rush it and get a soft tissue injury if body is not ready. I\u2019m going to take the next couple of days to get back in playing shape and get the rust off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Powell said he\u2019s no longer dealing with back spasms, said missing time with various ailments has been \u201cvery frustrating.\u201d He has missed 22 games, with 19 due to injury.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Andrew Wiggins said the toe injury that sidelined him for eight games recently goes back to a pre-existing condition from his time in Golden State.<\/p>\n
\u25aa One reason that Spoelstra did criticize his team after Wednesday\u2019s 147-129 loss to Boston is his belief that the Heat\u2019s defense wasn\u2019t primarily to blame. Boston made 21 of 44 free throws, and Spoelstra said Friday the Heat contested 84 percent of the Celtics\u2019 three-pointers.<\/p>\n
\u25aa Spoelstra opted for Dru Smith over Kasparas Jakucionis at backup point guard the past two games because \u201cwe were playing a little more of zone. Dru is one of our best zone guys. It\u2019s not anything against Kas. I also like Kas out there too. He gives us scoring punch.\u201d<\/p>\n
TV news<\/p>\n
Per Sports Business Journal, the NBA this week told the 13 teams whose games are carried by going-out-of-business FanDuel network (including the Heat) that they\u2019re free to pursue TV deals for next season, but that the NBA prefers they sign one-year deals because the NBA is positioned to offer a centralized streaming service for most teams beginning in 2027-28.<\/p>\n
The Heat\u2019s logical TV options next season are striking an exclusive deal with a streaming service to carry their games; selling games to WPLG-10 or Scripps-39; or doing a combination of both. The Heat says it cannot comment because the NBA doesn\u2019t want teams discussing this publicly. FanDuel\u2019s Heat finale is Sunday, April 12 vs. Atlanta.<\/p>\n
Amazon Prime has exclusive rights to all play-in games. ABC, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Amazon have exclusive rights to all playoff games.<\/p>\n
This story was originally published April 3, 2026 at 1:21 PM.<\/p>\n