Rockets’ Ime Udoka on Heat’s Bam Adebayo scoring 83: ‘The Washington Wizards’

Plenty of people around the NBA had something to say after Bam Adebayo recorded 83 points in the Heat’s 150-129 win over the Wizards.

Rockets coach Ime Udoka may have summed it up best.

Udoka was asked about the historic scoring night and immediately pointed to the box score and the opponent.

“First thing you think is, ‘How?’” Udoka told reporters. “Not because of him, but because of the way he plays. I saw he only made six threes, but 40 free throws or something like that. That tells the story right there.”

Then Udoka added a line that drew a few laughs.

“And, the Washington Wizards.”

Adebayo finished the night 20-of-43 from the field, 7-of-22 from three and an eye-popping 36-of-43 from the free-throw line. The performance pushed him past Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game for the second-highest total in league history, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point performance.

Others around the league also weighed in.

Lakers coach JJ Redick called the performance “incredible,” though he admitted the final minutes felt like “a different type of basketball.”

For Adebayo, the moment still felt surreal.

“To be able to do it at home, in front of my mom and the fans, it’s a moment that will always be remembered,” he said.