Warriors' Steve Kerr Defends Erik Spoelstra, Bam Adebayo Amid 83-Point Game Discourse

Kerr backs Spoelstra's comments in defense of Adebayo's historic performance.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 2:37am by Ben Kaplan

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Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr expressed support for Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and player Bam Adebayo amid the discourse surrounding Adebayo's historic 83-point game. Kerr noted that he has faced similar situations when allowing players to chase records, and he respects Spoelstra's decision to keep Adebayo in the game to pursue the accomplishment.

Why it matters

The debate around Adebayo's 83-point game has raised questions about the ethics of coaches allowing players to chase records, even in blowout games. Kerr's comments provide a veteran coach's perspective on the challenges and considerations involved in such situations.

The details

Detractors have cited Adebayo's record-breaking 43 free throws, the Heat's strategy of fouling the Wizards to get the ball back, and Spoelstra leaving Adebayo in a blowout game as reasons to discredit the 83-point performance. However, Kerr defended Spoelstra's actions, noting that as a coach, he has faced similar dilemmas when allowing players to chase records, such as when he left Klay Thompson in a game to pursue the most 3-pointers in a game.

  • On March 14, 2026, Steve Kerr commented on the discourse surrounding Bam Adebayo's 83-point game.

The players

Steve Kerr

The head coach of the Golden State Warriors, who has faced similar situations when allowing players to chase records.

Erik Spoelstra

The head coach of the Miami Heat, who defended Bam Adebayo's 83-point game and the team's strategy to help him achieve the accomplishment.

Bam Adebayo

The Miami Heat player who scored 83 points in a game, the second-highest single-game total in NBA history.

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What they’re saying

“That's a thing? People aren't giving him credit for getting 83 [points]?”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors (clutchpoints.com)

“It's pretty amazing. I mean, what an incredible accomplishment. And he's not even really a scorer. He's an incredible player. But he wouldn't be at the top of anybody's mind for somebody to score that many points. So just seems like a bizarre evening.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors (clutchpoints.com)

“I respect what Spo said. No need to apologize, he was doing it for his own team and I respect that.”

— Steve Kerr, Head Coach, Golden State Warriors (clutchpoints.com)

The takeaway

Kerr's comments provide a veteran coach's perspective on the challenges and considerations involved when allowing players to chase records, even in blowout games. His support for Spoelstra's actions highlights the complexities coaches face in balancing individual accomplishments with team dynamics and sportsmanship.