There was always an asterisk placed next to Roger Maris's record-setting 61 HR season because it came during a 162 game season, as opposed to Babe Ruth's 60 HR season over a 154 game season.  It was easy to understand why the asterisk existed.  Sure, Maris became the new record-holder but eight fewer games is eight fewer games.  At least the asterisk was the result of the league's decision to expand its season and not caused at all by Maris or the 1961 Yankees.

This brings me to Bam Adebayo whose 83 points last night became the second highest scoring game in NBA history behind Wilt's 100.  You may have problems with Wilt's 100, there were no three second lane violations as an example, but nothing about the performance violated the rules of the game or the true competitive spirit.  Bam scored 31 in the first quarter and I'm going to assume, since I did not see this, that there was nothing wrong with the way that he and the Heat went about things.  It wasn't until he had scored 55 with over 4 minutes left in the third quarter that I turned the game on.  

In my mind, there was nothing wrong with leaving Bam in the game until he passed Kobe Bryant's 81 point mark.  There was nothing wrong with letting Bam take practically every shot in the 4th quarter even though this is not how the game was meant to be played.  The Wizards were actually double-teaming him (and even triple-teaming him on occasion) but all this led to was a barrage of foul calls, resulting in Bam setting NBA records for free throws attempted and free throws made in an NBA game.  Not to be a killjoy, I could live with all of this.

What was inexcusable is that over the last 4 minutes or so of the game, each time the Wizards took possession of the ball, the Heat immediately fouled them to stop the clock and extend the game.  The Heat were winning by 30 or so the game's outcome was never in doubt.  This tactic allowed the Heat to generate far more possessions which translates to far more scoring opportunities for Bam to score and pass Kobe's total, than what should have been the case had the game played out normally.

Today, we should be praising Bam on one of the great NBA game performances ever.  Instead, I'm thinking about the Heat and how they orchestrated this farce and realizing that Bam has the second highest scoring game in NBA history, with an asterisk next to it due to how the Heat manipulated the fourth quarter.