The NBA Play-In Tournament continues tonight with a do-or-die battle in Chicago. The tenth-seeded Heat (37-45) will visit the ninth-seeded Bulls (39-43). A date with the Hawks on Friday awaits the winner, while one team’s season will come to a close. If Miami has any shot at securing a road victory, it’ll require a solid performance from Bam Adebayo. The center has plenty of experience in big games, having reached the NBA Finals in 2023.
The Heat enter tonight’s contest as two-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 220 points. Here’s the best Bam Adebayo prop bet on DraftKings Sportsbook before Wednesday’s game tips off.
Bam Adebayo O 9.5 rebounds (-130)
A rocky start hampered Adebayo for most of the season; look no further than a career-worst 48.5% field goal percentage. Still, the three-time All-Star found his groove following Miami’s trade of Jimmy Butler to Golden State. Since February 7th, Adebayo has averaged 20.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists over 30 games played.
Those rebounding numbers, while solid, aren’t the main reason to back Bam tonight. The Bulls are allergic to boxing out, surrendering the second-most boards per game to opponents (54.5). It helps that Chicago plays at the NBA’s second-fastest pace (103.61), ensuring plenty of extra possessions for both sides.
Surprisingly, Adebayo hasn’t reached ten boards in any of his three meetings with Chicago this season. Still, the Kentucky alum has reached double-digits in 39 of his 78 appearances this season (50%). Considering the Bulls wield one of basketball’s worst front courts, this wager is more than just a 50/50 play. With everything on the line, Miami’s face of the franchise is poised for another dominant day on the glass.
