Heat Counting on Bam Adebayo’s Offensive Rebound; Knicks’ Main Five Lag Behind Expectations; Magic Aim to End Long-Running Scoring Slump
SLUG: heat-adebayo-knicks-starters-magic-offense
CONTENT:
Miami, New York and Orlando head into the new NBA season wrestling with distinct but pressing concerns, according to data cited by ESPN’s Zach Kram.
Heat: Adebayo’s Shooting vs. Overall Efficiency
After introducing a three-point shot to his repertoire last year, Miami forward Bam Adebayo connected on 79 triples—up from just nine made before March 2024. The added range, however, coincided with a slide in almost every other area of his offense. His true shooting percentage fell to a career-low 56%, extending a four-year decline. He also recorded a career-worst free-throw rate, struggled finishing at the rim and ranked among the league’s least efficient post-up players. With Norman Powell—last season’s leader in points per touch—joining Tyler Herro in the backcourt, the Heat believe their guard play is solid. Adebayo’s return to form in the frontcourt is viewed as essential for Miami to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks: Heavy-Minute Lineup Falls Short
The Knicks’ starting unit of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns logged 940 regular-season minutes together—by far the league’s most for any five-man group. Their net rating finished at plus-3.2, below the plus-5.0 average for other high-usage lineups. In the playoffs, the figure dropped to minus-6.2, prompting head coach Mike Brown to lean on bench-heavy combinations featuring Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride. With offseason additions Jordan Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele strengthening the bench, New York plans more rotation flexibility, but improved production from the starters remains critical to the franchise’s pursuit of its first NBA Finals berth since the 1990s.
Magic: Thirteen Years Without a Top-Half Offense
Orlando has not finished better than 17th in offensive efficiency since its 2012 team led by Dwight Howard. The rankings since then read: 27th, 29th, 27th, 17th, 28th, 25th, 22nd, 21st, 29th, 30th, 26th, 22nd and 26th. The Magic hope newly acquired sharpshooter Desmond Bane can finally address the club’s long-standing need for perimeter scoring. If Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero remain healthy, the organization believes even a league-average offense, combined with an already promising defense, could move Orlando into legitimate contention as soon as 2026.
Source: Hoops Wire
