NBA roundup: Bam Adebayo's 83-point effort ranks 2nd all time
Wed Mar 11 3:15am ET
Field Level Media
Bam Adebayo produced the second-highest single-game scoring total in NBA history, putting up 83 points as the host Miami Heat beat the Washington Wizards 150-129 on Tuesday night.
The 28-year-old center scored 31 points in the first quarter en route to passing Kobe Bryant (81 points in 2006) for second place on the single-game list. Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point outing has stood as the record since 1962.
In 42 minutes on Tuesday, Adebayo shot 20-for-43 from the floor, 7-for-22 from 3-point range and 36-for-43 at the free-throw line. He also grabbed nine rebounds.
Abebayo set NBA single-game records for most free throws made and most free-throw attempts. Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley were the prior record-holders for made foul shots with 28 each. Dwight Howard had the old mark for free-throw attempts of 39, which he reached twice.
Washington has lost nine straight games, five short of its longest skid of the season. Alex Sarr led the Wizards with 28 points.
Lakers 120, Timberwolves 106
Luka Doncic posted 31 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists as Los Angeles earned a victory over visiting Minnesota in a battle of playoff-hopeful Western Conference teams.
Austin Reaves scored 31 points and Deandre Ayton added 14 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who pulled level with the Timberwolves, both with 40-25 records. Los Angeles holds the tiebreaker for fourth place in the West thanks to sweeping the three-game season series.
Anthony Edwards scored 14 points for the Timberwolves while shooting 2 of 15 from the floor and 1 of 10 from 3-point range. Juluis Randle also had 14 while Naz Reid and Ayo Dosunmu each added 13 as Minnesota lost its second consecutive game following a five-game winning streak.
Pistons 138, Nets 100
Jalen Duren scored 26 points in three quarters and Cade Cunningham collected 21 and 15 assists as Detroit seized control early, stopping a season-worst four-game skid with a wire-to-wire rout of Brooklyn in New York.
Duren converted three dunks and shot 9 of 10 from the field as the Pistons played a flawless game and earned their sixth win in the teams' past eight meetings. Cunningham, who sat out Saturday's loss, made eight of 10 shots and finished with 15 assists, three shy of his career high.
The Nets were unable to win three straight for the second time this season and lost for the 11th time in 13 games. Brooklyn shot 42% and made 13 of 38 3-point attempts. Michael Porter Jr. led the Nets with 19 points but Brooklyn's other four starters -- Noah Clowney, Nic Claxton and rookies Drake Powell and Nolan Traore -- were a combined 6 of 21 from the field.
Kings 114, Pacers 109
Devin Carter scored 22 of his career-high 24 points in the fourth quarter as Sacramento beat Indiana, sending the visiting Pacers to their 10th straight loss.
Sacramento rallied from a 20-point third-quarter deficit behind Carter, who made three 3-pointers and scored 15 points during a 17-5 run that put the Kings ahead 109-103 with 1:46 remaining. Maxime Raynaud had 18 points and 11 rebounds for the Kings, while Russell Westbrook tallied 16 points and nine assists. DeMar DeRozan and Clifford scored 12 points apiece, and Daeqwon Plowden added 10.
Aaron Nesmith led Indiana with 29 points. Obi Toppin added 17 points, Kam Jones scored 14, Jay Huff had 12, and Micah Potter finished with 11 in the matchup between the two teams with the worst records in the NBA.
Rockets 113, Raptors 99
Kevin Durant scored a game-high 29 points, while Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. chipped in 23 points apiece as Houston pulled away in the fourth quarter of a victory over visiting Toronto.
Durant made 12 of 16 shots from the field, including four 3-pointers, to pace the balanced offensive attack. Smith shot 8 of 14 from the field and sank three 3-pointers, and Thompson added 10 free throws and a team-high six assists.
RJ Barrett paced the Raptors with 25 points and six rebounds, while Scottie Barnes added 24 points. Toronto shaved a 10-point deficit to 73-72 late in the third before the Rockets pulled away.
Spurs 125, Celtics 116
Victor Wembanyama scored 39 points, hitting a career-high-tying eight 3-pointers, and added 11 rebounds to lead rising San Antonio to a victory over short-handed Boston in a battle between two of the top NBA teams.
With the Spurs ahead 106-105, Wembanyama delivered a powerful dunk followed by a 3-pointer, his eighth of the game, on back-to-back possessions, the latter with 5:57 remaining. De'Aaron Fox added 25 points for the Spurs, who won their fifth straight and are 16-1 in their last 17. Stephon Castle hit for 18 points and Devin Vassell added 14.
Jaylen Brown, Boston's leading scorer this season, had only eight points before being ejected from the game with 3:38 remaining in the second quarter, with the Celtics up by two. Derrick White led the Celtics with 34 points while Jayson Tatum scored 24 and Ron Harper Jr. added a career-high 22 points.
Hawks 124, Mavericks 112
Jalen Johnson scored 13 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter to help Atlanta to a win over visiting Dallas for its seventh straight victory.
With the game tied at 97-97, Johnson scored on a three-point play and added a 3-pointer to put Atlanta ahead 105-99 to prevent the Hawks from blowing an 18-point second-half lead. Atlanta also got 29 points from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Onyeka Okongwu scored 18 with nine rebounds.
In its eighth straight loss, Dallas was led by Klay Thompson, who came off the bench to make five 3-pointers and score 21 points. Khris Middleton notched 16 points while Cooper Flagg, Daniel Gafford and Naji Marshall each scored 14. Flagg added 12 rebounds and five assists.
76ers 139, Grizzlies 129
Cameron Payne made all eight of his 3-point attempts and scored a career-high 32 points as Philadelphia used a 21-2 fourth-quarter run to storm past visiting Memphis.
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 31 points and 12 rebounds for Philadelphia, which announced prior to the game that All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey (finger) will miss at least three more weeks. Quentin Grimes (22 points) and VJ Edgecombe (21) also helped make up for Maxey's absence as the Sixers avoided their fifth loss in six games.
Memphis lost its fifth straight game despite 26 points and eight assists from Ty Jerome. GG Jackson pitched in with 15 points and Cedric Coward notched 13 points and 16 boards for the Grizzlies, who led by as many as 14 in the second half.
Suns 129, Bucks 114
Devin Booker scored 27 points and dished seven assists while leading Phoenix to a victory over host Milwaukee.
Phoenix sank a season-high 24 3-pointers (on 51 attempts) to begin its six-game road trip with a third consecutive victory. Jalen Green added 25 points while Royce O'Neale scored 21 and Collin Gillespie compiled 12 points, nine boards and nine assists.
Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 33 points and shot 6-for-10 from 3-point range, but the Bucks took their sixth loss in seven contests. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner each added 22 points, and Ousmane Dieng logged 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulls 130, Warriors 124 (OT)
Matas Buzelis capped a career-best 41-point performance with five points in overtime, Josh Giddey recorded his second straight triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 17 assists and Chicago outlasted Golden State in San Francisco.
Buzelis, Giddey and Tre Jones, who finished with 22 points, combined to do all the Chicago scoring in the overtime as the Bulls, taking advantage of a tired Golden State squad playing the second night of a back-to-back, dominated the extra five minutes to the tune of 12-6 to snap a two-game losing streak.
Four Warriors, including Kristaps Porzingis in his second home game in San Francisco, scored 17 points for Golden State, which was 1.4 seconds away from a regulation win before Jalen Smith drew a foul on a desperation 21-footer and hit a pair of free throws to create a 118-all tie. LJ Cryer, Gui Santos and Pat Spencer also scored 17 apiece.
Hornets 103, Trail Blazers 101
Brandon Miller had 23 points and nine rebounds and Kon Knueppel added 15 points to help Charlotte overcome a 19-point deficit and record a victory over host Portland.
LaMelo Ball had 14 points in 22 minutes before fouling out as Charlotte improved to 11-1 in its last 12 road games. Ryan Kalkbrenner added 13 points and Miles Bridges and Sion James had 11 points apiece as the Hornets won for the seventh time in the past nine games.
Jerami Grant scored 24 points and Deni Avdija added 22 points and seven assists for the Trail Blazers, who lost for the fourth time in the past six games. Scoot Henderson scored 17 points off the bench.
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- Bucks star PF Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) sitting out vs. Magic
- Lakers star LeBron James (elbow, foot) ruled out vs. Knicks
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- Mavericks F Khris Middleton fined $25K for mouthpiece incident
- Celtics C Nikola Vucevic (finger) sidelined 3-4 weeks
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- Lakers star LeBron James (elbow) sitting out vs. Pacers
- Suns F Dillon Brooks arrested on suspicion of DUI
- NBA roundup: LeBron James sets record, gets hurt in Lakers' loss to Nuggets
- Lakers' LeBron James hurts elbow in loss to Nuggets
- Lakers' Deandre Ayton (knee) leaves game against Nuggets
- Mavs F Cooper Flagg (foot) set to return Thursday on minutes restriction
- Wizards' Anthony Davis (hand) cleared for individual activities
Utah Jazz point guard Keyonte George (illness) is listed as questionable for Wednesday's contest against the New York Knicks. He played through an illness on Monday against Golden State but may have to take Wednesday night off. Isaiah Collier (illness) is ready to step in for George if needed after he was removed from the injury report. In 12 games without George this season, Collier has averaged 17.3 points, 9.8 assists, and 1.8 steals. On Wednesday night, his role on offense might be even bigger, as the Jazz don't have much proven NBA talent in their current lineup.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart (knee) is considered questionable for Wednesday's meeting with the Utah Jazz. The veteran utility man is experiencing soreness in his left knee and could miss his first action since Feb. 4. Without Hart, Landry Shamet and Mohamed Diawara are expected to be more involved in the rotation, with one of them likely to start. Shamet's performances have been more consistent, making him a better fantasy target, but he's a fairly one-dimensional player. Since the All-Star break, Shamet has averaged 11.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game.
New York Knicks Mitchell Robinson (ankle) has not been listed on the injury report for Wednesday's game against the Utah Jazz. The Knicks are coming off a back-to-back, and Robinson didn't play in the second game on Monday against the Los Angeles Clippers. With no back-to-back sets scheduled for the Knicks for the rest of the month, Robinson is set to play regularly in the coming weeks. However, his fantasy value remains limited as a backup to Karl-Anthony Towns. Over his last 10 appearances, Robinson has averaged 4.4 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 19.0 minutes.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen (knee) will be sidelined for a third straight game on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic. He continues to deal with right knee tendonitis and will have his next chance to return on Friday versus the Dallas Mavericks. In Allen's absence, Dean Wade has looked decent as a starter, recording a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double in Monday's victory over Philadelphia. Thomas Bryant's workload has also slightly increased, but his numbers aren't good enough to warrant fantasy consideration.
Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (back) is expected to play on Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, as the team has listed him as probable. Johnson struggled with back spasms during Monday's loss to Oklahoma City. His move to Denver has not worked out well for Johnson, who has managed only 11.1 points per game. The 30-year-old recently had his second game of the season with zero points. Over his last six outings, Johnson has contributed only 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game, shooting a horrible 27.9 percent from the field.
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) is listed as probable for Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets. Murray injured his left ankle last week but played through it in Monday's loss to Oklahoma City. The probable designation indicates that Murray will remain in the lineup on Wednesday night. Murray has already faced the Rockets three times this season, with averages of 25.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. He has finished all three contests with three makes from downtown.
Lakers' G Luka Doncic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 120-106 win over the Timberwolves on Tuesday, Mar. 10.
Chicago Bulls' F Matas Buzelis scored 41 points on 16-of-28 shooting in a 130-124 win over Golden State on Tuesday, Mar. 10.
Bulls' G Josh Giddey recorded a triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 17 assists and 13 rebounds in a 130-124 win over Golden State on Tuesday, Mar. 10.
Bucks' F Kyle Kuzma scored 33 points on 12-of-21 shooting in a 114-129 loss to the Suns on Tuesday, Mar. 10. Kuzma is owned in only 42.1% leagues.
Miami Heat's C Bam Adebayo scored 83 points on 20-of-43 shooting in a 150-129 win over the Wizards on Tuesday, Mar. 10.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Maxi Kleber (back) will not play Tuesday against the Timberwolves after being listed late on the injury report with a lumbar strain. Kleber has held a modest reserve role this season, averaging around 11 minutes per game, so the direct fantasy fallout is limited. Jarred Vanderbilt is the most likely beneficiary and could see a small uptick in minutes in the Lakers' frontcourt rotation. Vanderbilt logged 11 minutes in the previous game, finishing with three points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura should continue handling most of the frontcourt workload.
Miami Heat forward/center Bam Adebayo delivered a historic performance against the Wizards, erupting for 83 points while shooting 20-for-43 from the field, 7-for-22 from three-point range, and 36-for-43 at the free-throw line. The 28-year-old's scoring total ranks second all time behind Wilt Chamberlain's 100 and ahead of Kobe Bryant's 81. Adebayo also dominated usage throughout the night and could continue carrying Miami's offense if Tyler Herro (quadriceps), Norman Powell (groin), and Andrew Wiggins (toe) remain limited by injuries. His massive workload caps the value of secondary options like Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel'el Ware (shoulder).
Philadelphia 76ers guard Cameron Payne delivered a massive outing in Tuesday's 139-129 win over the Grizzlies, finishing with 32 points, 10 assists, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 30 minutes. With Tyrese Maxey (finger) expected to miss multiple weeks due to a finger tendon injury, Payne stepped into a larger offensive role and responded with a near-perfect shooting night, hitting nine of 10 shots while draining eight three-pointers and converting all six free throws. Whether he starts or continues leading the second unit behind Quentin Grimes and VJ Edgecombe, Payne now projects as a strong short-term fantasy pickup.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (hip) will miss Tuesday's matchup against the Timberwolves, marking his third straight absence while dealing with a right hip contusion and arthritis in his left foot. With the 41-year-old sidelined, Rui Hachimura should continue to handle heavier minutes after starting and logging 37 minutes with 13 points, three three-pointers, seven rebounds, and two assists in the win over the Knicks. Jarred Vanderbilt could also see a slight uptick after posting three points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block in 11 minutes last game. Hachimura is the safer play for fantasy managers, while Vanderbilt is more of a deep-league gamble.
Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (back) will play Tuesday against the Bulls after previously being listed with lower back injury management. The veteran has produced modest but steady lines recently, averaging 8.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.6 three-pointers over his last five games while logging about 31 minutes per night. Green's value remains tied to assists and defensive production rather than scoring, making him more useful in category formats than points leagues. His return also tightens the frontcourt rotation, likely capping the minutes ceiling for Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Gui Santos.
Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (thigh) is out for Tuesday's matchup against the Bulls after the team initially considered using him in the second leg of the back-to-back. With Melton and Moses Moody (wrist) unavailable, Golden State should spread extra wing minutes across Gary Payton II, Will Richard, and reserve guard Pat Spencer. Payton logged 13 points, one three-pointer, one rebound, and one steal in 26 minutes in the loss to Utah, while Richard previously flashed upside with 21 points, two triples, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals in a February start. Spencer added four rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 13 minutes last game. All three are risky deep-league streamers since their minutes could swing from night to night.
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (knee) is available to play ahead of Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Allen is back in the mix after sitting out Sunday's game due to a knee injury. His absence could've been for rest purposes with Allen playing heavy minutes lately. His return to the rotation should mean a reduced role for Haywood Highsmith. Allen has been a solid source of points since returning from injury in late February. Fantasy managers can get him active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Houston Rockets. This is tough news for the Raptors, with Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) also sidelined. Fantasy managers will need to check back on Wednesday to see if Poeltl can return for the second leg of the back-to-back set. Sandro Mamukelashvili should take on a heavier role with Poeltl out for this game. He's worth a look as a streaming option in most fantasy formats while the Raptors are shorthanded. Jonathan Mogbo could see increased minutes as well, but Mamukelashvili is the primary add here.
Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (thumb) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Sharpe will make his first absence since mid-January while he deals with a thumb sprain. Nicolas Claxton could see an increased role as the starting center without Sharpe available. Also, Danny Wolf and Ochai Agbaji are likely to see more minutes during Tuesday's game. Claxton is the best fantasy option here, but Wolf and Agbaji are decent streaming choices with Sharpe and Ziaire Williams (illness) out.
