Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra pushed back against criticism of the Washington Wizards' apparent tanking strategy following Bam Adebayo's record 83-point game against them, stating teams are free to approach the season however they choose.
In the ongoing controversy surrounding Bam Adebayo's historic 83-point performance against the Wizards last week—which eclipsed Kobe Bryant's 81 for second on the NBA's all-time single-game scoring list—Heat coach Erik Spoelstra defended the Wizards' approach. As previously reported, Adebayo dismissed critics and blamed Wizards coach Brian Keefe for failing to adjust defensively until late, allowing one-on-one matchups through 70 points.
Spoelstra addressed the backlash head-on, saying, 'I apologize to absolutely no one.' He acknowledged the Wizards' tanking efforts, adding, 'There's nothing wrong with what they're doing. If you can tank and get a great draft pick, I don't care. Like, you can do anything you want in this league. You can approach it however you want.'
Wizards coach Brian Keefe countered that his team only lost the second half by seven points but admitted the fourth quarter 'was not a real basketball game.' As of March 17 NBA tank rankings, the Wizards (16-51) hold the top spot after 12 straight losses, including a recent home defeat to the Golden State Warriors.
