Bam Adebayo returns after missing last 22 games

Wes Goldberg: Bam Adebayo will play tonight for the Miami Heat and is very excited after “a sleepless night,” Erik Spoelstra says. “He’s ready to go, we’re ready to go, let’s do it.”
Source: Twitter @wcgoldberg

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Bam Adebayo made his return and Jimmy Butler finished with a triple-double. Takeaways, details and postgame reaction from tonight’s Heat win over the Raptors miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… Heat now just percentage points behind the top spot in the East – 12:00 AM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Jimmy Butler says Bam Adebayo “makes this whole team go.” – 10:45 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Jimmy Butler on Bam Adebayo’s return: “It’s good to have my guy back.” pic.twitter.com/58AW5PYpPd – 10:44 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Bam Adebayo asked about jumping up and down at the end of the game:
Says it was because of Jimmy Butler’s 10th rebound for the triple-double
“I told everyone in the huddle, ‘box-out so Jimmy can get the rebound.'” – 10:43 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo:
“He was so anxious and so excited.”
“That uncommon versatility just makes us different on both ends of the court.” – 10:22 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
NEW: Bam Adebayo returned and Jimmy Butler recorded a triple-double. Takeaways and details from the Heat’s win over the Raptors miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 10:11 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Halftime: Heat 58, Raptors 51. Jimmy Butler with 15 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists. Bam Adebayo with 7 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists in his return. Tyler Herro with 14 points off the bench. Omer Yurtseven did not play in the first half. – 8:40 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Not just saying this, but Bam Adebayo has been fantastic defensively tonight
That fast-break finish ends the possession with an exclamation point
But man has he been swarming on rotations down low – 8:38 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Bam Adebayo picks up the steal and dribbles it the length of the court for the transition layup. He has seven points in the last three minutes. – 8:37 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
That last Duncan Robinson three was off the Bam Adebayo handoff
The thing about it is how smooth it was run
Bam Adebayo between the leg dribbles on the face up, before smoothly flowing into the pass for Duncan
This isn’t sideway forces from the traditional bigs anymore – 8:34 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Bam Adebayo scores his first basket of the game on a driving and-one layup with 4:12 left in the first half. – 8:31 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
One-on-one drive on a mismatch for Bam Adebayo
More of that
It’s coming
It’s needed – 8:30 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
That’s Bam Adebayo’s first basket in 49 days. – 8:29 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
With 4:12 to play in second period, Bam Adebayo gets his first points since Nov. 29, on a layup. – 8:29 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
End 1Q: Raptors 30, Heat 27
– Bam Adebayo with 0 for 2 and 3 rebounds in his first minutes since Nov. 29.
– Jimmy Butler getting to the rim for most of his damage and 9 points.
– Dedmon getting minutes as the backup center and Yurtseven yet to check in. – 8:13 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
End of first quarter: Raptors 30, Heat 27. Jimmy Butler with nine points, six rebounds and three assists. Bam Adebayo still scoreless. – 8:11 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Duncan Robinson, who shot 3 of 20 from deep over the last three games, made his first three tonight with an assist from Bam Adebayo. – 7:48 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Looks like Bam Adebayo will play with a wrap around his surgically repaired right thumb tonight. – 7:41 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Bam Adebayo is going to fill the midrange void for this team
That’s the biggest offensive shift
All other bigs- Dedmon, Yurt, PJ, Caleb- don’t have that rolling pull-up threat from free throw extended
Interesting to expand upon now – 7:37 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
They did it
Bam Adebayo-Duncan Robinson pairing is back in the starting lineup
This is the time now – 7:01 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Bam Adebayo is starting. – 6:59 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Bam Adebayo will start tonight for the Heat. – 6:59 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
With Bam Adebayo making his return tonight, what’s next for Omer Yurtseven? “Whatever they ask of me, whatever Spo guides me to, that’s what I’ll try to perfect” miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 6:34 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
It’s official: Bam Adebayo is playing. – 6:29 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Bam Adebayo formally cleared. Will play. – 6:28 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
“He’s ready to go. We’re ready to go. Let’s do it.”
– Coach Spo on Bam Adebayo – 6:00 PM Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Spoelstra says Bam Adebayo will play tonight for Heat vs. Raptors. Has been out since Nov. 30 with a thumb injury. Kyle Lowry is out due to personal reasons. – 5:52 PM Doug Smith @SmithRaps
Erik Spoelstra says Bam Adebayo is warming up with the intention of playing
Warming up with the intention of putting street clothes back on would be newsworthy – 5:51 PM Josh Lewenberg @JLew1050
Spo says Bam Adebayo is warming up with the intention of playing vs the Raptors. He’s been out for 7 weeks after thumb surgery but sounds like he’ll return tonight, as expected. “Safe to say he’s extremely excited… He’s ready to go, we’re ready to go, let’s do it.” – 5:50 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
Bam Adebayo will play tonight for the Miami Heat and is very excited after “a sleepless night,” Erik Spoelstra says.
“He’s ready to go, we’re ready to go, let’s do it.” – 5:49 PM Eric Koreen @ekoreen
After missing 22 games, Bam Adebayo is warming up with the intention playing against the Raptors on Monday night. He had surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb in early December. – 5:49 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
Erik Spoelstra says Bam Adebayo will warm up with the intention to play tonight
“It’s safe to say he’s extremely excited.”
@5ReasonsSports – 5:49 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Erik Spoelstra says Bam Adebayo will warm up with the intention to play tonight vs. Raptors. Adebayo has missed the past 22 games with a right thumb injury. – 5:49 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Erik Spoelstra says Bam Adebayo warming up with intention to play. So he will. – 5:48 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Bam Adebayo (thumb) will warm up with the intention of playing for the Heat against the Toronto Raptors tonight. No setbacks in recent workouts made it officially official. – 5:48 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
With Bam Adebayo on the verge of making his return, what’s next for Omer Yurtseven? miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… Feedback from Heat players and coaches on just how impressive Yurtseven has been over the past month, and what the numbers say – 3:13 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
NEW: With Bam Adebayo on the verge of making his return, what’s next for Omer Yurtseven? “Whatever they ask of me, whatever Spo guides me to, that’s what I’ll try to perfect” miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… Also, Kyle Guy had quite the weekend – 12:51 PM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
After today’s morning shootaround, Max Strus says Bam Adebayo has been working as part of the scout team while he has been out. “I’m glad we don’t have to deal with that anymore,” Strus jokes. – 11:17 AM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
🌴 New Column!
One Week Later: Bam Adebayo’s Impact, Omer Yurtseven Making Himself Available, Duncan Robinson Trade Eligible and More wesgoldberg.substack.com/p/miami-heat-b… – 9:29 AM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Kyle Lowry is not playing tonight against his former team because of personal reasons. But today could be Bam Adebayo night miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 8:22 AM Surya Fernandez @SuryaHeatNBA
GAME PREVIEW: Kyle Lowry out, Bam Adebayo expected to be back tonight when Miami Heat host Toronto Raptors hothothoops.com/2022/1/17/2288… – 8:05 AM Anthony Chiang @Anthony_Chiang
Kyle Lowry ruled out vs. former team, but Heat could get Bam Adebayo back against Raptors. The latest update miamiherald.com/sports/nba/mia… – 7:17 PM Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Kyle Lowry will not play on Monday against Toronto, listed as out due to personal reasons. Bam Adebayo has been upgraded to questionable, with the expectation that he will make his comeback. – 6:37 PM Brady Hawk @BradyHawk305
The revolving door of Heat stars continue
With Bam Adebayo listed as questionable and reports say he will make his return tomorrow against Toronto, Kyle Lowry now out due to personal reasons
Gabe Vincent may go from a DNP to starting tomorrow night – 6:36 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Bam Adebayo (thumb) is listed as questionable for Heat-Raptors tomorrow night. Kyle Lowry (personal reasons) is listed as out. – 6:30 PM

More on this storyline

Anthony Chiang: Heat injury report for tomorrow’s game vs. Raptors: Bam Adebayo is questionable to make his return. But Kyle Lowry is listed as out because of personal reasons. -via Twitter @Anthony_Chiang / January 16, 2022 Brady Hawk: Erik Spoelstra on Bam Adebayo: “I know how badly he wants to get back out there…Even on that last road trip, he was doing like 3-a day workouts.” -via Twitter @BradyHawk305 / January 14, 2022 Ira Winderman: Erik Spoelstra declined to offer Bam Adebayo update amid report of Monday return. “He’s making a lot of process. . . . He’ll be back soon enough.” And, “He is ready. As soon as he’s cleared I don’t think there’ll be a major ramp up.” -via Twitter @IraHeatBeat / January 14, 2022