The Miami Heat have had an average start to their 2022-23 season after being one shot away from making the NBA Finals last season. With a 21-20 record the Heat are eighth in the Eastern Conference and are 5-5 in their last ten. One player who has not waivered for Miami this season is one-time all-star Bam Adebayo. He also claims that he is the \u201cbest defender\u201d in the league over the last two seasons.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Adebayo doesn\u2019t have three DPOY trophies like Rudy Gobert, but he\u2019s still one of the most dominant and well respected defenders in the NBA. However, he is a three-time all-defensive selection and his dominance has not gone unnoticed. The 25 year old offers a unique skill set that other players his size might not.<\/p>\n Florida Sports Betting sites <\/a>have the Heat at (+3300) to win the Finals this season.<\/p>\n \ud83d\ude1e pic.twitter.com\/PSDTanUuE1<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 9, 2023<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n There\u2019s no question that Bam Adebayo<\/a> is the anchor of the Miami Heat\u2019s defense for the past two-to-three seasons. He\u2019s not the biggest frontcourt player at six-foot nine, but his athleticism is what separates him from the traditional PF\/C. On top of his elite defense, Adebayo is also also having a career-best season on the offensive end scoring (21.4) points per game. That leads all Heat players at the moment.<\/p>\n In an interview with Mark Medina of NBA.com, Adebayo had this to say on why he feels that he is the best defender in the league.<\/p>\n \u201c\u201cI feel like I\u2019ve been the best defender in the last two seasons. I can guard one through five and I can guard anybody on the court. In past seasons, that\u2019s how I got on the court. Defense is how I got to where I am today. That\u2019s never going to be away. I\u2019m always going to have the mindset of wanting to be in the top five on both units,\u201d \u2013 Bam Adebayo<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n For his career, the 14th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft averages (1.0) steal and (0.9) blocks per game. He may not be the number one shot blocker in the league, but he absolutely makes his presence felt on the defensive end. We mentioned Rudy Gobert<\/a> earlier in comparison to Adebayo and even he can\u2019t do some of the things that Bam does.<\/p>\n Adebayo may not find himself in the running this season for DPOY, but to be the best defender in the league, you have to think that you are. All the top talent in the NBA think they are better than everyone else. You want them to have that mentality as it\u2019s likely what got them to that point in their careers. If Adebayo can have a season where he averages over two blocks and double-digit rebounds, he could then find himself in the running for DPOY.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Bam Adebayo thinks he\u2019s the \u2018best defender\u2019 in the league<\/h2>\n
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