Bam Adebayo took his shot. Made it. And got one other shot.

That basically was the essence of Sunday night’s All-Star Game experience for the Miami Heat’s center.

In what turned into the highest-scoring All-Star Game ever, with Adebayo’s East squad winning 211-186 in a record-setting score, Adebayo closed with three points, the fewest of any of the 12 participants.

“I gotta get teammates who pass the ball, man,” he quipped afterward. “It’s rough out there.”

Adebayo’s highlight moment came in the first quarter, on a sequence that opened with Adebayo inbounding the ball off the back of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and then draining a 3-pointer on the other end.

Adebayo then threw his arms up in the air to celebrate as he ran back on defense, later quipping that he hoped Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was watching.

“Tell Spo,” he joked. “Pull the clip up, show Spo.”

#HEATNation loooooves Bam 3s 👌

(and look how he started this possession 😅)

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 19, 2024

In games that actually count, Adebayo is 1 of 11 on 3-point attempts this season, with nine regular-season 3-pointers over his career.

In his third All-Star appearance since being drafted by the Heat out of Kentucky in the 2017 first round, Adebayo played 17 minutes, closing 1 of 2 from the field for his three points, with two rebounds and two assists.

Nonetheless, the experience resonated.

“A fun opportunity.” he said. “Always blessed to come back. Always blessed to try to make this a routine.

“I feel everybody was making shots, so it looked competitive and individualized in a sense. But, like I said, I got to find teammates who pass me the ball better.”

As a perspective on Adebayo largely being shuffled out of the mix, consider that East teammate Damian Lillard, the Milwaukee Bucks guard who was voted the game’s Most Valuable Player, attempted 26 shots and that Minnesota Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns, who closed with 50 points, took 35.

“It’s hard,” Adebayo said when asked about the lack of true competition. “Because obviously you don’t want anybody to get hurt. For it to be more competitive, I don’t know the answer.

“I was just out there, having fun, playing basketball, Doing what we love to do.”

Adebayo got the start with Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid unable to participate due to the knee injury that also kept him out of the Heat’s Wednesday night victory in Philadelphia, their final game before this current eight-day All-Star break.

“It’s just an honor,” he said, “to, one, start, and to represent me and the organization.

“When you’re around guys like this, with all this wisdom and legacy, it starts to rub off on you.”

Adebayo was selected as the replacement starter by Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who coached the East on Sunday night.

The game was so foreign to Adebayo’s defense-first approach that his Eastern Conference team led 104-89 at halftime, the most points ever in a half in an NBA All-Star Game. And the scoring and lack of competitiveness kept going from there.

Adebayo, the Heat’s lone All-Star, started for the East alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Lillard and Tyrese Halliburton. Starters for the All-Star Game were selected in a combined vote of fans, players and media. Reserves, which is how Adebayo made it, were selected by conference coaches.

Adebayo became the Heat’s first All-Star Game starter since Dwyane Wade in 2016. The other All-Star starters over the Heat’s 36 seasons have been LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O’Neal, Alonzo Mourning and Anthony Mason.

Adebayo was asked afterward to sum up becoming a regular at the event.

“Perennial. Respect,” were the first two words he offered. “At the end of the day, being able to get to this thing three times, you want it to become a routine.

“Man, it’s steppingstone in what you wanted as a career. When you look back, I gave basketball everything.”

Among the proposed ways to add more of an edge to the annual game was the suggestion of USA vs. International.

But Adebayo said that also could create conflicts.

“I’m born in America, but I’m Nigerian,” he said. “So it’s kind of tough.”

The Heat are idle until Friday’s game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the start of a four-game trip. The Heat resume practice Thursday at Kaseya Center.