It's OK to celebrate and criticize Bam's historic 83-point outburst

We've officially witnessed the most shocking scoring performance in NBA history.

That's saying something, considering Malachi Flynn somehow scored 50 points in a game less than two years ago (on his way out of the league). But Bam Adebayo's 83-point outburst Tuesday against Washington is truly without precedent.

It's not that Kobe Bryant's 81 points felt insurmountable. It's just that if anyone was going to wedge their way between Bryant's historic figure and Wilt Chamberlain's mythical 100-point total, Adebayo might've been the unlikeliest candidate.

A scoring champion in his prime going for 80-plus - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Luka Doncic - seemed conceivable. Perhaps even an audacious young scorer such as Anthony Edwards or Victor Wembanyama once the giant Frenchman masters his offensive skills. But a non-shooting big man who set his previous career high of 41 points five years ago? A defensive star in the midst of his least-efficient season, three years removed from his only 20 points per game campaign? Preposterous.

Adebayo's outrageous performance is obviously worthy of praise. The three-time All-Star and the entire Heat organization should cherish the moment and milk every ounce of its novelty. But in recognizing how special the night was, we can also acknowledge that the final tally was a bit of a farce.

Not because head coach Erik Spoelstra kept Adebayo in the game while cruising to a blowout win over the lowly Wizards. Who could blame him for doing so as one of his players chased history? Did folks think Adebayo would do what former Pacers big man Jermaine O'Neal did in 2005, when he subbed himself out of a 55-point performance to avoid breaking Reggie Miller's Indiana record? Anyone who believed Adebayo would do so out of respect to the late Bryant was surely wearing purple-and-gold-tinted glasses.

The sham wasn't that the Heat kept force-feeding Adebayo, just as the Lakers did Bryant even after they pulled away from Toronto in the final minutes of that 2006 classic. What else were Adebayo's teammates to do on a night when he was quite literally unstoppable?

And it wasn't because Adebayo set records for free-throw makes (36) and attempts (43) in a game. He attempted more free throws Tuesday than 14 teams have taken in any contest this season, but if a shamelessly tanking Wizards lineup couldn't stop him without fouling, that's on them. After all, it's not like Adebayo makes a habit of parading to the stripe. He entered the contest 68th in free-throw attempt rate (FTA per FGA) among qualified scorers.

Make no mistake, the biggest shame lies in Washington, where a wretched team capable of surrendering such an unfathomable sum was purposely constructed. There's a reason Rockets head coach Ime Udoka insinuated that the Wizards' very existence helps explain how Adebayo reached 83.

But there's something cheap about the ways Miami created additional garbage-time possessions in a bid to inflate Adebayo's production. The Heat began intentionally fouling while leading by 27 points with 100 seconds remaining. When the Wizards responded by intentionally fouling Heat forward Keshad Johnson to keep the ball out of Adebayo's hands, Johnson intentionally missed a free throw to give his teammate a chance at an offensive rebound ... while Miami led by 26.

The tactics turned what was already an unforgettable performance into something gimmicky, tarnishing an otherwise magical night. Adebayo's late-game chucking also contributed to a statistical quirk in which he managed to score the second-most points ever on what was essentially just league-average efficiency from the field (54.7% eFG).

Many have pointed out that the 1962 Warriors engaged in similar late-game shenanigans to push Chamberlain's point total to triple digits. If that's the case, their actions were equally bush-league, but it doesn't make what Miami did any less so.

There's nothing wrong with celebrating the astonishing feat. As Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo said Tuesday, "It doesn't matter how you get there. All that matters is that you got it. In 10, 20, 30 years from now, nobody's going to remember how many free throws he shot. I don't think I remember how many shots Kobe shot or how many free throws he made or threes. All you remember is 81. Wilt, 100. ... So, at the end of the day, he got 83 points."

Fair enough, but those who watched it unfold can still be honest about how it happened.

Joseph Casciaro is theScore's lead NBA reporter.