Kel'el Ware
Getty
Miami Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra was brutally honest when assessing second-year center Kel'el Ware.
The Miami Heat lost to the Boston Celtics 119-114 on January 15. In a game in which the Heat were outrebounded 51-40, Heat center Kel’el Ware only played nine minutes.
The second-year player has been seeing the court less over the last few games, and Heat Head Coach Erik Spoelstra revealed after the game why Ware’s role in the rotation is decreasing.
“With Kel’el, I know that’s a lightning rod topic,” Spoelstra said. “He needs to get back to where he was seven or eight weeks ago, where I felt, and everybody in the building felt, he was stacking good days. He’s stacking days in the wrong direction now.”
“Make sure you’re ready and play the minutes you’re playing to the point I want to play you more,” he continued.
Ware finished with just 3 points and 5 rebounds. It’s the fourth time in five games that Ware has finished with under 10 points.
Despite Spoelstra’s hesitancy to play Ware, the Heat likely could have used him tonight. The Heat struggled mightily in the fourth quarter, blowing a 10-point lead.
The Celtics had five offensive rebounds in the fourth quarter. They had 18 offensive rebounds as a team throughout the game.
Despite blowing a lead that was as much as 19 points, the Heat showed positive flashes throughout the game.
Heat center Bam Adebayo finished with 22 points. It marks his second straight game with over 20 points. He also shared some positive words for Ware after the game.
“Don’t let stuff like this be the motivation,” Adebayo said. “Discipline every day is what beats motivation. You can be motivated for 2-3 games, then go on a run and be up and down. Discipline makes you consistent. My message to him is be as consistent as possible.”
Where do the Miami Heat go From Here?
Tyler Herro
GettyThe Miami Heat blew a 19-point lead against the Boston Celtics on January 15.
Just two days ago, the Miami Heat were riding high. Coming off a fourth-quarter comeback win against the Phoenix Suns, the team was looking to build momentum towards the halfway point of the season.
Against the Boston Celtics, however, the Heat blew a 19-point lead, seemingly to fizzle out any progress the team made against the Suns.
Bam Adebayo sent a message to his team after the game, instructing them on how they can turn the tide of the season.
“We’re better than what our record says, but until we all commit to doing role players things, we’ll keep being middle of the pack and mediocre,” Adebayo said. “Until guys get sick of that middle ground, being seventh and eighth and not really want to make the push for fourth or third in the East, we’re gonna stay right here.”
The Miami Heat Missed Their Sixth Man of the Year Award Candidate
The Miami Heat were without two key players due to injury against the Boston Celtics: guard Davion Mitchell and forward Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Heat missed Jaquez in particular, with their bench unit seeing a massive change. Rookie Kasparas Jakucionis was the sixth man in Jaquez’s place.
While the rookie from Illinois finished with 12 points and 8 assists, he was often targeted on defense.
Jaquez, who missed the game with knee soreness, could be back for the Heat’s next game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.