The Giannis‑Adebayo combo has sputtered, posting a –46.9 net rating per 100 possessions in the 34 minutes they’ve shared over two games.
Minnesota’s Chris Finch, whose squad beat Miami in the opener, says the duo will soon turn into a dominant force.
Finch believes the pair will eventually click; in my view, they could become a nightmare for opponents. He noted that meshing bigs is tougher than pairing wings, demanding spacing and chemistry that will develop over time.
Adebayo managed just four points in 23 minutes against Detroit on Friday.
More Southeast Division news follows:
- Heat never led Friday as Detroit ran away 17 points. Erik Spoelstra admitted the team is still learning each other’s games early in the season, despite a smooth preseason. The starting line‑up, featuring Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, was outscored by 18 points in the 13 minutes they played together. Miami now faces a back‑to‑back road game against Charlotte, with less than 24 hours to prepare.
- Hornets head into the Charlotte matchup after a crushing 128‑81 loss to Atlanta, the Hawks’ biggest margin ever. Dyson Daniels, on a four‑year, $100 million extension, recorded seven steals in 23 minutes and laughed that the game was handed to him.
- Anthony Black still hasn’t debuted for the Magic due to an ankle issue, but he took part in Friday’s shootaround. Sean Sweeney praised his progress, saying there are no setbacks and the rookie looks good. Black missed a rookie‑scale extension before the deadline. Will he be ready to contribute when the season ramps up?