The Miami Heat have lost their first four games of the 2026-27 NBA season, most recently a 113-109 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday. The poor start follows the offseason acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo, and early concerns about the offensive fit between Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo have materialized quickly.
Mitchell explains fit concerns
Adebayo is enduring the worst start of his career since becoming a full-time starter, averaging 11.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 40.0% shooting from the field, 16.7% from three-point range and 61.5% from the free-throw line — all career lows. His 6.8 two-point attempts per game are the fewest since his third season.
Starting point guard Davion Mitchell addressed Adebayo's struggles after the loss to Dallas. "I think I got to do a better job of not letting [Adebayo] get lost in the game," Mitchell said. "He got to be more aggressive. I think that he will. He's still trying to figure it out because I said this before -- I think him and Giannis play in the same spaces, and then when Giannis is on the floor, he's on the floor. He can't be in those spaces, and but it's something to get used to."
The spacing issue was evident in a play where Antetokounmpo occupied the paint while Adebayo attempted a post-up, leaving Adebayo with no room to operate. Mitchell emphasized the need for smarter positioning.
Antetokounmpo's previous partnership with Damian Lillard in Milwaukee suggests he is unlikely to adjust his game significantly to accommodate a co-star. That places the burden on Adebayo to reinvent his offensive approach ten years into his career, a transition that has yet to yield results.
