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Bam Adebayo reveals how Heat can get out of 8th seed purgatory
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- Bam Adebayo reveals how Heat can get out of 8th seed purgatory
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With the Miami Heat facing the Chicago Bulls in a back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday night, the two teams faced off on Thursday, leading to a 116-113 win. While the Heat will be without key players Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell , the team showed on Thursday how capable they can be, with captain Bam Adebayo revealing the area that could catapult them out of middling range.
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If there is a spot that Miami is comfortable in looking at the past several seasons, it's the eighth seed, where they've finished for the last three years. Meaning, the team usually competes in the play-in tournament, which the Heat are actively trying to get out of, but it will be from taking a defensive disposition every night , as Adebayo expressed.
"We know what we're capable of defensively…We got to keep doing it on a night-to-night basis. And once we figure that out, and we commit to that, we won't be in the seven or eight spot," Adebayo said, via HeatCulture on X, formerly Twitter.
Miami is currently eighth in defensive rating, showing that the team can be disruptive, but January has shown games get out of hand due to lapses on that side. It begins with the starting lineup, but the bench is also vital in its defense, with Dru Smith standing out as he's shown off his skill with steals and deflections.
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" I think that's what we have to bring every night, " Smith said after recording three steals in Chicago, via the team's YouTube page. "And that's kind of what Spo was talking to us about after last game…If we bring that defense, our offense has been playing really well. So if we can do that, then we'll start putting games together."
The Heat is taking on the Bulls two more times this weekend
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
As the Heat are surrounded by trade rumors , specifically centered around Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo , the team is focused on getting better currently. Miami will be facing Chicago two more times over the weekend, with the hectic schedule happening due to a game earlier in the month being postponed.
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"You could see the activity, the intent defensively, and we have great respect for Chicago, how quickly they can put points on the board…heck of a win," Spoelstra said.
Miami is 26-23, putting them eighth in the East, as the team looks to separate itself.
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