Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo warming up to 3-point shooting

DETROIT —  It is somewhat of an NBA custom, at the end of practices, players who don’t dunk attempt to dunk, and players who don’t shoot 3-pointers engage in 3-point contests.

So as Cole Swider attacks the rim on one end of the court, Miami Heat big men Bam Adebayo, Orlando Robinson and Thomas Bryant typically fan out on the other for a 3-point contest.

Fun and games? Certainly. But also a potential tell as to what might follow.

“We always have our shooting competition,” Adebayo said, “me, Orlando and TB. So when I win, I feel more comfortable shooting it.”

Although a limited sample size, the comfort clearly is in place, with Adebayo having converted a 3-pointer in each of the past two games, the first time in his seven-season career the 6-foot-9 big man has made 3-pointers in consecutive games.

“Definitely in the flow,” Adebayo said, with the Heat moving on from Friday night’s 108-95 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena and turning their focus to Sunday’s rematch there. “At this point, it’s about just shooting it, letting it ride.”

But it is from where Adebayo has been riding that has offered perspective on the newfound sweet spot, positioning that plays to Adebayo’s strengths, as well as the strengths of teammates Duncan Robinson and Jimmy Butler.

“Yeah, it’s interesting,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “Like I had this discussion with him during the summer, when he was working on his corner three, I was cool with that. I want him to work on the three. But I told him that the three that would be more available would be the one at the top. That’s where he ends up being more often. Like, the spacing, typically really doesn’t make sense for our roster for him to be in the corner. There are other guys that’d be in the corner. But he’s up top all the time.

“And also, I’ve watched him now for several months. That’s the one he’s most proficient on. So, I’m good with him shooting that. If they’re playing way back, he’s a great decision-maker. So that’s going to lead to a great action, or somebody in a deep drop, which is a problem if Duncan is coming off or Jimmy or somebody like that. But if they’re going to totally lay off, I’ve seen him make that one enough. We’ll see where it goes.”

It is a process in its nascent stages, considering Friday night’s conversion gave Adebayo three for the season, matching his career high for a season.

But teammates have no issue with more.