For many sports fans, Tuesday night seemed like a new generation episode of the “Twilight Zone.”
If I told you Bam Adebayo scored 83 points in an NBA game — the second most in history — and that Italy would defeat Team USA 8-5 in the World Baseball Classic on the same night, you’d call me crazy.
Bam Adebayo Scores 83 Points against Washington Wizards, Eclipses Kobe’s 81
But it really happened. It’s not like Adebayo is a scrub. He’s a three-time All-Star and steady force for the Miami Heat. However, he’s never been known as one of the elite scorers. It also took a record 43 free throws attempted and 36 makes to move past Black Mamba. He surpassed Kobe Bryant’s 2006 effort by two points.
Adebayo, who had previously never scored more than 41, also shattered the Heat’s single-game record in a 150-129 win over the Wizards.
Now it’s Wilt’s 100-piece, Bam’s 83-point fluke game and Kobe Bryant’s 81 points. It’s not the fact that Adebayo scored the second-most points in a game in history that people have a hard time grasping. It’s just that Adebayo is one of the last players you’d consider would have an offensive bag deep enough to pull off the feat. Almost half his points being from the charity store also helped, ’cause Shaq could never.
WNBA Star A’ja Wilson Joins Boyfriend Bam In Celebrating Historic Moment
Adding some celebrity flair to the event was WNBA three-rime MVP A’ja Wilson who is in a serious relationship with Adebayo and was on hand for the record-breaking explosion, even coming to the court after the game and embracing him in an emotional encounter. Wilson joined her man on the podium after the game and showered him with accolades and praise.
“I see the countless hours, the early morning workouts, the questioning the self, I see all that … this has been an incredible journey for Bam … I know he says I’m his inspiration, but I don’t think he has a clue how much he inspires me,” Wilson said.
The players and coaches around the league, however, were not impressed.
Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka gets to see Kevin Durant up close every day, but even a legendary bucket-filler like the Slim Reaper never had an 80-piece.
“First thing you think is how…… not because of him but because of the way he plays. I saw he only made 6 threes but 40 free throws or something like that, tells the story right there and … the Washington Wizards,” said the coach, who threw flames.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was asked if the performance was an inspiration to him, and he shrugged it off like it was nothing.
“Yeah, I saw…….. I think we’re in a league where’s there is plenty of inspirations to look up to but yeah I saw….” Wemby, a frontrunner for league MVP, said.
Fans Don’t Respect Bam Adebayo’s 83-Point Explosion
Said one fan in response to Wemby’s nonchalant reply to Bam’s big night:
“He saw this bs and was like yeah aight “83” wemby knows.”
“It was a fluke, like Italy beating Team USA,” said one netizen, shocked by the night’s turn of events.
Another fan explained why NBA nation isn’t hyping the performance as it usually would.
“Everybody on twitter complaining about the non-reaction but even the players know that the way he did it and versus whom is not impressive.”
“We just can’t respect it… he don’t belong up there,” another fan said.
The Beauty Of Sports Is That It’s NOT A Video Game: Team USA Loses To Italy
So Bam gets his record, but he doesn’t get the glory. It is what it is. His night was the complete opposite of what Team USA brought to the table in what should have been a Pool-clinching WBCA gimme against Italy. Team USA, a heavy favorite to win the WBC, along with the Dominican Republic, lost a stunning 8-6 game to Italy on Tuesday night. The shocking loss might be the biggest upset in the 20-year history of the World Baseball Classic.
Team USA Manager Mark DeRosa Counted His Chickens Before They Hatched
Adding insult to injury, prior to the game, in an appearance Tuesday morning with Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds on “Hot Stove” on MLB Network, where DeRosa works as an analyst, he said of the game against Italy:
“We want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.”
Team USA Faces Shocking Early Elimination In World Baseball Classic
Overconfidence didn’t just do in the hare when the tortoise passed him sleeping on that tree, thinking the race was in the bag. Slow and steady wins the race, and mentally Team USA was already looking forward to the semifinals, totally dismissing Italy and very few of the loaded All-Star squad showed up to play. Now Team USA has to sweat out a possible elimination, which would totally change the excitement surrounding the event, at least in this country.
Should Italy win and finish pool play at 4-0, the United States would advance as well. If Mexico wins, however, it will finish at 3-1 along with Italy and the U.S. In that case, the tiebreaker formula would determine which two teams advance to the quarterfinals.
Just know the fate of Team USA is no longer in the hands of Aaron Judge, who struck out with the tying run on base to end the game.
Fans Show No Mercy For Team USA Loss To Italy
Fans, analysts and casual observers showed no mercy for Team USA, whose destiny is now in the hands of two inferior teams.
“This is an absolute embarrassment for Team USA. Getting absolutely throttled by Team Italy and now hopes of them even advancing out of Pool Play seem slimmer and slimmer,” posted former pro baseball player Ben Verlander on X.
Fans criticized Team USA for resting “their best players” such as Bryce Harper and Alex Bregman and assuming they had it in the bag.
“Resting their best players like it was wrapped up. Then you have Harper before the tournament talking about how it’s not the Olympics lol. Led by a TV analyst. Either they get serious about this or just send in young guys who care,” one fan complained.
Some fans took this opportunity to take a shot at the New York Yankees’ three-rime MVP, as if it was his fault the team, including the manager, totally blew this game.
“Aaron Judge is not a leader and whomever put this pitching staff together should retire. What an embarrassment @USABaseball,” quipped another disgruntled netizen.
Wild night of sports indeed. We may never see unexpected greatness from Bam Adebayo or Team Italy again. We also may never see this kind of loss suffered by Team USA, because they might not even be playing in the next round. Go figure.
