Bam Adebayo shone in Mexico City, scoring 32 points and grabbing 14 rebounds to propel the Miami Heat to a decisive 118-98 victory over the Washington Wizards on Saturday night.
Tyler Herro contributed 15 points on efficient 5-of-9 shooting, helping Adebayo lead Miami to a strong start with a combined 30 first-half points. Jimmy Butler added 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while Alec Burks provided 15 points off the bench. Rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in eight points.
Washington was paced by Bilal Coulibaly, who scored 22 points, and Jordan Poole, who added 21. Three Wizards rookies—Alexandre Sarr, Carlton Carrington, and Kyshawn George—were in the starting lineup, with Sarr posting 17 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
The Heat established an early lead, surging ahead 27-12 in the first quarter. Although the Wizards managed to cut the deficit to 31-21 by the quarter’s end, Miami maintained control, stretching their lead with a 23-12 run in the second quarter. The Heat then extended their advantage in the third, ultimately entering the final quarter up by 19 points.
Miami shot 42.2% from the floor and hit 15 of their 37 three-point attempts, while Washington struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 7-of-35. The Heat also dominated the boards, outrebounding the Wizards 65-44.