Bam Adebayo’s Erik Spoelstra lineup finally showed up in the Heat’s win against the Spurs

MIAMI – Ace Jimmy Butler plays with the Miami Heathe wasn’t the focus of the team’s 128-107 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. While it is The Heat are still dealing with drama involving Butlerthey get a much-needed win over the Spurs that snaps a three-game skid as Erik Spoelstra takes center stage using Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware together leading to massive success.

Butler would finish with eight points on three-for-seven shooting, seven assists and three rebounds. Ware would lead the team with 25 points on 9-of-18 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, two assists, two blocks and a +27 from the floor. Adebayo finished the game with six points, but he also had 11 rebounds, five assists and +19 on the floor.

As for Terry Rozier, he would have 20 points with four assists, Nikola Jovic had 14, and Duncan Robinson led all starters with 21 points, shooting eight of 12 from the field and five of seven from deep.

Here are three takeaways from the Heat’s win over the Spurs:

Jimmy Butler starts, but the Heat make a lineup change that turns the tide

Just like in Friday night’s loss to Denver, the basketball world is watching to see as Butler comes out to play and if there will be noticeable changes in effort. However, Butler would start the game again and proved that he will come in and do his job until it is decided whether until February 6th or the end of the season.

He would get on the board early after a possession where he played effective defense and even drew a foul on Spurs sensation Victor Vembanyama. It would be a modest first half for Butler as he scored six points on two-of-six shooting from the field to lead early in the contest while the rest of the team struggled to shoot.

By the end of the first quarter, the Heat trailed 30-20 after shooting 35 percent (nine of 25) and missing all five of their three-point attempts, as only Butler and Duncan Robinson led the pack with two field goals.

Surprisingly, there may have been a bigger story than that in the first half the drama between Virtue and Butler and it includes first-round rookie Kel’el Ware. Fans have long envisioned Ware playing alongside Bama Adebayo, moving the latter to the forward position.

Erik Spoelstra would pull the trigger for the first time early in the game to play the two back-to-back, and San Antonio’s double-digit lead quickly dwindled as the Heat ended the half on a 14-2 run. While he wouldn’t battle Vembanyama all the time, Ware was impressive as he led the team at halftime with 11 points on four-of-nine shooting from the field. It certainly felt like a turning point.

In the second half against Spurs

To continue the lineup change, Spoelstra would bring out Ware to start the second half along with Adebayo, Butler, Robinson and Herr. It led to nothing but exceptional play by Miami, as when Ware was eventually replaced by Nikola Jovic, the Heat outscored the Spurs 36-13 when the rookie big man and Adebayo were on the floor together.

By the end of the third period, the Heat had taken more shots from the side arc in 12 minutes than in the entire first half. They were four of 13 from that range over the first two periods, but were already 10 of 21 by the end of the third as both Robinson and Jovic made huge contributions.

The fourth quarter would see the Heat finish off the Spurs as they kept the momentum going while keeping Vembanyama and the opposing team at bay for the most part. While there were many aspects that led to Miami’s win, there’s no doubt that Ware’s inclusion was a big part, as he, along with Rozier, played a huge role in scoring a season-high 73 bench points.

Will Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware be permanent for Heat?

As previously stated, ever since the team drafted the big man, there have been questions of how The Heat would look like Ware and Adebayo on the same floor. Although it took almost half a season and some small insights, Spoelstra talked about a possible lineup change before the game against San Antonio that it could be a sign of things to come.

“The sample size is so small … But obviously they’re both dynamic defensive players,” Spoelstra said. “It gives us more versatility, more ability to make things difficult.” You know, I think we’re at a point where I’m going to start doing it if I feel like it’s going to help in end-of-quarter situations.”

Judging by how much the two of them have influenced the game on the floor, we shouldn’t be surprised if they see this pairing on the floor again in due time. The Heat will next face the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.