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Most of that playing time for Jakucionis has come in the last three months, as he has appeared in 40 of the last 42 games after logging only 53.7 seconds in the NBA through the Heat’s first 26 games of the season. He has also played double-digit minutes in 34 of those 40 appearances over the last three months, with most of those opportunities coming in a bench role. “Kas just continues to get better,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “If you watch where he was in summer league compared to now, it’s really a credit to his work ethic. He spent a lot of time with [Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn] in all the pre-practice and post-practice sessions. He’s improved quite a bit. He’s earned this.”
Jakucionis entered Tuesday’s game in Charlotte shooting a team-best 53 of 123 (43.1 percent) from three-point range this season. Among the 271 NBA players who have attempted more than 100 threes this season, Jakucionis owns the 10th-best three-point percentage. “He’s one of those guys that’s always working on it. So he’s seen really good improvement,” Spoelstra said. “He’s refined some things just to simplify his shot, but he had really good touch before even getting here. But it’s the work ethic. It’s the consistency every single day. He’s relentless with it and taking the appropriate ones. “He’s getting a lot of open catch-and-shoot threes right now. I’m sure at some point the scouting report will change, as teams start to see him more often. But that shooting has been a good boost to our offense.”
Anthony Chiang: Erik Spoelstra to @TheJaxShow on Bam Adebayo (calf): "We want to make sure that he's feeling good. So we’ll be responsible with it. He'll continue to do around the clock treatment. If he's not able to go, Kel’el will step in there and then other guys will obviously have to step up."
Instead, he took the increasingly popular position of applauding Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra, and the entire Miami Heat organization for going for it. He also channeled Bill Simmons in calling out the Washington Generals (Wizards) in saying that’s where anyone’s hate should be directed for their inability to stop him. “I don’t care if it’s your local church league. You get a chance to go for history, you go for it. And I’m so tired of all these podcasters and all these guys who never played the game talking about ‘oh the sanctity and they ruined basketball.’ I do not care. 83 is 83 and for Coach Spoelstra and for Bam to be getting a lot of hate from this, your hate is misdirected. Because it should be towards the Washington Generals. I know they’re the Wizards, but the way they were playing they looked like the Washington Generals. And that’s where your hate should be,” Miller said.
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The Heat was also not happy about the five-second violation called in the final seconds. Spoelstra and Heat players believed the five-second violation called on Larsson’s inbound pass was quick. It came at a crucial time, too, as the call that resulted in a Heat turnover came with Miami down by four and 36.6 seconds left in the fourth quarter. “I haven’t gone through the mechanics of it right now, but it felt like a quick five,” Spoelstra said. Powell added: “I thought the five-second violation was BS. I mean, it was too fast. We couldn’t even get through our first two actions before they called a five-second violation.”
Draymond Green on Bam Adebayo's 83-point night: I hate how people trying to act like Bam had this random performance like some bum. May I remind you Bam is a 3x All Star, 2x Olympic Gold medalist, 1st team all defense. The Miami Heat made a decision to move on from Jimmy Butler who’s great and build around Bam. Let’s stop acting like some Bum went and did something crazy. This is Bam Adebayo are yall kidding me? I can’t believe it’s been this much fuss about Bam getting 83 like he cheated or something. F*ck outta here. Congratulations Bam. That was fire. Shout out to Coach Spo. That was fire!
Draymond Green on Bam Adebayo's 83-point night: Yall want Spo to feel bad for that organization and take Bam out the game and not let him go after records? I hate these un written ass rules in basketball about don’t score because yall are ahead. F*CK THAT! This loser ass mentality that people have in this world is actually pathetic…. ‘You’re supposed to take him out the game because you’re up so many points’ SAYS WHO? It’s not his fault they stink! Bam goes for 83. Shout out to Edrice. My dawg. Fire bro!
Anthony Chiang: Spoelstra: "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. “We don’t do that and we have a 14th pick do something that you’re trying to get out of the No. 1 pick."
HoopsHype: Erik Spoelstra on leaving Bam Adebayo in the game to score 83 points: "I apologize to absolutely no one. Period."
Erik Spoelstra on leaving Bam Adebayo in the game to score 83 points:
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) March 12, 2026
"I apologize to absolutely no one. Period." pic.twitter.com/GRf9xHsEHC
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HoopsHype: Spoelstra on Adebayo: "Max players, if they’re not scoring and they’re starting to get criticism... usually there will be friction (...) Instead of there being any friction, I had my annual 5K run for Nicklaus Children's Hospital, and he showed up without even letting me know."
Spoelstra on Adebayo:
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) March 12, 2026
"Max players, if they’re not scoring and they’re starting to get criticism... usually there will be friction (...) Instead of there being any friction, I had my annual 5K run for Nicklaus Children's Hospital, and he showed up without even letting me know." pic.twitter.com/pcKsgpPu8Y
Ira Winderman: Spoelstra on the Adebayo 83, "Look, no, I apologize to absolutely no one. Period. And going into the game, it's a Tuesday night game against a team where they're not playing for anything, where their organization is trying to lose. We've already lost a game, you know, in that kind of situation. We have players that are sitting out. And I spoke to Bam about I want, as our best player and team captain, for him to be locked in and ready."
Ira Winderman: (2) Spoelstra on the Adebayo 83: "The fact that he was still in the game at the end, you know, this is what our fans want to see. And this is what you really want to see happen in this league is for there to be some competitive storylines. And then a brilliant, magical night just appeared out of nowhere. And, you know, seize that opportunity."
Ira Winderman: (3) Spoelstra on the Adebayo 83 (and on playing a tanking team): "It was probably irony in these two organizations. There's nothing wrong with what they're doing. If you can, tank and get a great draft pick, I don't care. You can do anything you want in this league. You can approach it however you want. We don't do that."
