Bam Adebayo's Historic First Half Performance

Bam Adebayo achieved his NBA career-high score of 43 points in the first half of a game against the Washington Wizards. This monumental performance not only marked a personal best but also shattered multiple Miami Heat records.

Miami Heat Records Shattered

Adebayo’s scoring spree began in the first quarter, where he tallied an impressive 31 points, establishing a new Miami Heat record for points in any single quarter. His exceptional play continued, culminating in 43 points by halftime, which set a new team record for points in any half.

Adebayo's 43-point first half surpassed his previous full-game career high of 41 points, which he set on January 23, 2021, against Brooklyn.

The previous Heat record for points in a first quarter was 25, a mark set by LeBron James on two occasions in 2014, highlighting the significance of Adebayo's achievement.

Unprecedented Shooting Efficiency

During his dominant first half, Adebayo showcased remarkable efficiency across all scoring areas. He shot 13-for-24 from the field, was nearly perfect from the foul line with 12-for-14, and connected on 5-for-11 from 3-point range.

This stat line placed him in elite company, as he became the first player to record at least 12 field goals, 12 free throws, and five 3-pointers in one half since Kobe Bryant achieved this in 2006 during his historic 81-point game.

NBA Context: Elite Company

Adebayo's 31-point quarter was the highest-scoring quarter in the NBA since Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points in March 2022. Looking back further, in the past 30 seasons, only Klay Thompson (37 points in 2015), Kevin Love (34 points in 2016), and Carmelo Anthony (33 points in 2008) have scored at least 31 points in a single quarter.

His 43-point first half performance is also the second-best in the NBA over the past 30 seasons, trailing only Karl-Anthony Towns' 44-point first half in January 2024.

The all-time NBA record for points in a first half is 53, a record shared by David Thompson and George Gervin from April 9, 1978.