Kevin Durant. James Harden. Steph Curry.
They are some of the most dominant scorers in the NBA.
On Tuesday night, Bam Adebayo outdid them all, and everyone else this season, too.
The Miami Heat center, who is known as one of the league’s best defenders, turned in the most dominant scoring quarter of the 2025-26 NBA season so far, scoring 31 points in the first quarter against the Washington Wizards.
Playing all 12 minutes of the quarter, Adebayo encountered little resistance and few, if any, adjustments, as he tallied his 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting from the field, including 5-for-8 shooting from behind the arc. Adebayo also went 6 of 7 from the free-throw line.
His 31-point outburst set the Heat record for points in a quarter, breaking LeBron James’ franchise record. James scored a franchise-best 25 in the third quarter against the Charlotte Bobcats on March 3, 2014, and 25 points in the first quarter on March 18, 2014, in Cleveland against the Cavaliers.
Miami led Washington 40-29 at the end of the first quarter. Adebayo outscored Washington 31-29 by himself.
Adebayo has added a highly effective 3-point shot to his offensive arsenal the last two seasons. Before the 2024-25 season, he had never attempted more than 0.6 treys per game in a season. Last season, he upped that total to 2.8 attempts per game. He entered Tuesday averaging 5.0 attempts per game this season, shooting 33.0 percent from beyond the arc.
The Heat franchise record for points in the first half was 31, achieved three times, by Sherman Douglas, Dwyane Wade and James. On Tuesday, Adebayo tied that record merely with his first-quarter performance.
Adebayo broke the record, reaching his 32nd point of the first half, with a free throw with 5:53 remaining in the second quarter.
Before Tuesday, the most points scored in any quarter by any player in the league this season had been 27, accomplished by Harden for the LA Clippers on Nov. 22 against the Charlotte Hornets.
Adebayo’s single-game career high point total was 41 points, set Jan. 23, 2021.
He reached 43 points Tuesday night late in the second quarter.
