Bam Adebayo accepts responsibility after loss to Celtics

After that The Miami Heat snapped their five-game skid against the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, the team wouldn’t have much time to rest their lines, losing to the Boston Celtics on Friday night, 129-116. While it was encouraging areas for heat, one aspect that has fallen is the performance of the team captain Bam Adebayo.

The last two games haven’t been up to Adebayo’s standards in terms of his shooting percentage, shooting 43.5 percent from the inside arc while yet to make a single 3-pointer on the current road trip. In Thursday’s win over the Nets, he would have just six points on four-of-13 shooting from the field, but still found other ways to make an impact in the win with 17 rebounds and three blocks.

Against the Celtics, he recorded 16 points, 10 rebounds and four assists while shooting six of 13 from the field. While it could be far worse, more is needed from Adebayo, especially on Friday, when the team fell short Tyler Herro, Andrew WigginsDavion Mitchell and others.

“I have to figure it out,” Adebayo said, via video from Heat Central on X, formerly Twitter. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I take responsibility, I have to do better.” I’m letting my team downand it will change. Like I said, it will change. I’ve been through these times before. A lot of guys go through that. We’ll figure it out.”

“You have to find that breakthrough moment,” Adebayo continued of the team’s overall performance. “We got off to a hot start early in the season, but you have these shifts throughout the season where things just don’t seem to go our way. We’ve got to find that turning point.”

Bam Adebayo on his poor performance tonight

“I’ve got to figure it out. I’m thinking about if somebody else is taking responsibility besides me. I’ve got to be better. I’m letting my team down. It’s going to change. I’ve been through these times before. A lot of guys go through it. We’ll figure it out.” pic.twitter.com/SUIlb1M62Ks

— Heat Central (@HeatCulture13) December 20, 2025

The warmth Erik Spoelstra about the loss to the Celtics

With The heat is looking for every reinforcement possiblethere’s no denying that the team has had to win differently compared to the early success they’ve had. After starting the season as a fast-paced team that was among the league’s top-scoring teams, Miami recently ranked second-to-last in offensive rating and has seen its pace slow over the past seven games.

Now, the Heat have tried to win games in the mud, focusing more on their defensive effort if the offense can’t play like it once did, but Boston proved too much on Friday. In the fourth quarter in particular, the Celtics hit 10 3-pointers, making 37 in the period, despite the game being relatively close.

“I just thought we were playing and competing by force“, with intent and doing things to put us in a position to win,” Miami head coach Spoelstra said, according to The Miami Herald. “And I just think three turnovers and four threes just derailed us. And that’s a teaching point. That’s really a lesson for our team. I think the Knicks did what they did against San Antonio; it was a very similar situation. San Antonio was knocking down a ton of shots and the Knicks just stayed the course and then put themselves in a position to win. And that’s what we’re going to grow into for sure.”

The Heat are now 15-13, looking to get back on track in their final road game against the New York Knicks.