Player grades vs Grizzlies: Bam Adebayo bounce back

Bam Adebayo - Grade: A

Bam Adebayo had by far his best game of the preseason finishing with 23 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Shooting 9/17 from the field and 2/6 from the 3-point line. Adebayo was everywhere on the court also getting 2 steals and 1 block. Adebayo’s impact was not just on the state sheet, but it also passed the eye test. His movements were quick and concise, doing everything with conviction. Adebayo was able to generate looks whenever he wanted and then he used that to set up his teammates. This was the type of game the Heat will need from Adebayo nightly if they want to compete without Tyler Herro.

Norman Powell - Grade A

Norman Powell was once again spectacular finishing with 23 points, 6 assists and 1 steal. The thing that keeps sticking out about Powell is his ability to move without the ball. Then when he receives a pass, he is always ready to shoot, even with the defense close by. He did continue his hot streak shooting 8/13 from the field and 3/6 from the 3-point line. There were a lot of questions about Powell joining the Heat this offseason, and he continues to pass every test with flying colors. Powell will carry the weight of the offense on his shoulders until Herro returns. If he continues to play like he has this preseason, the Heat will be able to stay afloat.

Kel'el Ware - Grade: B+

Kel’el Ware was good once again. He used his length to create easy opportunities. He finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block. Ware has shown his fabulous touch over his shot career and that continues to stand out. Another thing that stood out today was when he followed Powell on a cut to the basket and this got him an easy lob for an alley-oop. If Ware consistently does these hustle plays it will not only help him, but the Heat as a whole to get easy points.

Andrew Wiggins - Grade: B

Andrew Wiggins is trying to bounce back from a lackluster end to the season, and this game showed encouraging signs that Wiggins is ready to turn it around. Wiggins is at his best as a complementary piece, and able to play off the stars. He does a fabulous job of finding spots where he can catch and shoot. Wiggins did his job tonight finishing with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. He was efficient in limited field goal attempts shooting 4/8 from the field. These types of games are what I hope to see more of as the season begins. Wiggins does not need to have eye popping numbers. He just needs to be efficient and play complementary basketball. Wiggins did that perfectly this game, which is an encouraging sign for the regular season.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. - Grade: C

Jaime Jaquez Jr. had an okay game. His best play was a nice pass in transition to Kel’el Ware to set him up for an easy dunk. Jaquez Jr. passed the ball very well totaling 6 assists to just 1 turnover. He struggled from the field shooting 1/8 from the field finishing with just 3 points. He did have some moments where he rushed, but I still liked his processes overall. I am still encouraged by his process, and I’m not going to panic over a bad preseason game when he has still shown everything he needed to in the previous games. I am going to trust his process produces better results over the course of a season.

Pelle Larsson - Grade: C-

Pelle Larsson has not popped as much in preseason as many Heat fans were hoping for. He has had some moments where he flashes his potential, but too often he seems to be a nonfactor. I have stressed this every time in my postgame grades, do not panic about preseason basketball. Larsson still has time to show he will contribute like a lot of Heat fans think he can. Larsson was once again mediocre, and there were few things that stood out to me. Larsson is a smart basketball player, he showed that plenty in his rookie season. The hope is he figures out how to maximize his role. Time will tell if he is able to.

Previous Games Grades

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