How this key lineup decision “makes everything better,” according to Kel’el Ware
As it is The Miami Heat enter the All-Star break with a lot of work to do when the team returns, they will at least enter it on a positive note with a 123-111 win over the new orleans pelicans. Shown in victory was the rise of Heat center Kel’el Wareas he spoke about an aspect he believes makes the team better.
Wednesday night’s win in New Orleans was the head coach’s second in a row Erik Spoelstra started Bam Adebayo with Vera in the frontcourt, as the team was missing Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Pele Larson and Tyler Hero due to injuries. While the frontcourt duo has been shaky to start the season when they’ve started, the minutes they’ve spent together recently have been productive.
In Wednesday’s win, Adebayo had 27 points, 14 rebounds, four assists and four blocks, and Ware had 16 points and 12 rebounds. Ware would tell SiriusXM radio that they were on the field together “makes everything better.”
“It makes it a safer space not only for us but for the guards,” Ware said while representing Miami at a Rising Stars event during the All-Star break. “If you get blown away, you’ve got either me or Bam back there. We can protect the rim. Somebody can go for the block, they can go for the rebound.”
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on Kel’el Ware, Bam Adebayo
As Spoelstra teased more Heat minutes for Ware and Adebayo combinedit remains to be seen if they will get him after the All-Star break. If one thing is certain, Spoelstra he liked what he saw recently from both.
“I love it,” Spoelstra said, via video from HeatCulture on X, formerly Twitter. “…It gives us a different look, and the versatility of being able to play the two of them together and pound the glass on both ends is a weapon for us. They both want to make it work.
Erik Spoelstra’s full thoughts on the Bam-Ware lineup:
“I love it. I think they’re both in a different place than they were 6 to 8 weeks ago — 3 months ago — for different reasons. But it gives us a different look. And the variety of opportunities to play the two of them… pic.twitter.com/C9tJg5BrsK
— ღამარი (@VadekFlash) February 12, 2026
Miami is 29-27, which puts them in eighth place in the Eastern Conference heading into their next game on February 20 against the Atlanta Hawks.
2026-02-13 00:34:00
