Historic scoring nights usually end arguments. Bam Adebayo’s 83-point explosion started one instead. The Miami Heat center delivered the second-highest scoring game in NBA history on March 10, powering Miami to a 150-129 win over the Washington Wizards. Yet while many fans celebrated the milestone, others immediately questioned how the night unfolded.

Among the loudest critics was veteran sports radio personality Chris Russo, who accused both Adebayo and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra of manipulating the game to reach the historic total.

Russo voiced his frustration during a discussion with Stephen A. Smith, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the scoring binge crossed a line. “You know, Stevie, you want to bow down to this, go bow down. I am not bowing down,” Russo said.

“He took 43 shots… Here’s the worst thing. Well, first off, what Spoelstra did with the shenanigans of the game is a complete disgrace, and there’s always some example of that. Wilt had some shenanigans with him in ’62. I understand, there’s always a little fooling around with the game, but the Heat fouling the Wizards right away to stop the clock. I mean, really?”

Russo’s criticism centered on the way Miami approached the closing minutes of the game. According to him, the Heat deliberately extended possessions so Adebayo could continue chasing Kobe Bryant’s famous 81-point mark.

Adebayo finished the night with 83 points on 20-of-43 shooting, including 7-of-22 from three-point range and 36-of-43 from the free throw line. Both his 36 made free throws and 43 attempts set records.

However, the late-game sequence intensified the debate. Miami held a comfortable double-digit lead during the final minutes, but repeatedly fouled Washington players to stop the clock and regain possession.

As a result, Adebayo attempted 16 free throws late in the game and finished with 14-of-16 from the line in the fourth quarter alone. Because of that approach, critics argued the final stretch was designed specifically to push the scoring total higher. “And I’ll tell you right now, he’d never admit it. I bet you, Pat Riley feels the same way. That’s what I would say,” Russo concluded.

The argument echoes a long-running debate in basketball history. Even Wilt Chamberlain’s famous 100-point game in 1962 faced criticism over the tactics used late in that matchup.

Erik Spoelstra confesses his feelings regarding Bam Adebayo’s historic night

While critics focused on strategy, Erik Spoelstra showed no hesitation in celebrating the achievement after Miami’s win at the Kaseya Center. “This was just an absolutely surreal night,” he told the reporters.

“Once he got to 50, then we’re thinking, all right, let’s maybe get to 60. Then, when he got to 60, he just kept going. Might as well go for 70. I didn’t even dare think about taking him out of the game at that point. We just kept going. I didn’t stop until he got to Kobe’s.”

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Teammates consistently looked for Adebayo throughout the closing stretch as the Heat chased the historic number.

When the center hit the free throws that pushed him past Bryant’s 81-point benchmark, Spoelstra finally pulled him from the game. The bench and crowd responded with a standing ovation.

Adebayo’s performance now sits second all-time in NBA history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point night and surpassing Kobe Bryant’s iconic 81. Because of that placement, scrutiny was inevitable. Historic milestones rarely arrive without debate.

For critics like Russo, the circumstances surrounding the performance matter just as much as the number itself. For Spoelstra and the Heat, the result was simply a surreal franchise moment. And regardless of the argument surrounding it, the record books now show the same undeniable figure: 83 points.