MIAMI – With the Miami Heat's mentality to get out of the play-in tournament, the determination continued on Thursday with the 126-110 win over the Brooklyn Nets, marking three straight wins for the team. As the Heat aim for a playoff push, there will need to be key players who step up, such as Kel'el Ware, who made NBA history on Thursday night.
Ware has been in a good stretch coming out of the All-Star break, with head coach Erik Spoelstra giving him consistent minutes, especially when playing alongside Bam Adebayo. He proved again on Thursday just how talented he is by filling up the statsheet with 16 points, 11 rebounds, seven blocks, and five steals.
This marks the first player in Miami history to record a 10-10-5-5 game and the first in league history to do so off the bench, with Ware putting the outing into perspective after the win.
“It shows I’m impacting the game and I’m going out there being able to help my team and proving I can play and get a plus,” Ware said.
Kel’el Ware’s thoughts after a historic game being the first Heat player to have a 10-10-5-5 game and first player in NBA history to do it off the bench. More below: #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/YoSCTfcdQ1
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 6, 2026
Thursday was also the second straight game that Ware had five steals, though he had zero blocks in Tuesday's win, also over the Nets. The performance was big in its own right as Adebayo got into foul trouble early, with Ware getting even more time to impress, with the captain sharing that he's “proud” of the 21-year-old.
“Mark this up in Heat history and NBA history, so kudos to him,” Adebayo said after recording 21 points and seven rebounds. “I'm proud of him, and he did it while getting a double-double. But like I've always said, I see what he can do, and he was able to showcase a lot on the defensive side, but seven-for-nine for the field, played well today.”
Asked Bam Adebayo about how satisfying the win was for the Heat, spoke on the growth Miami is going through.
Second clip he spoke about Kel’el Ware’s historic game, talks how “proud” he is of him. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/KuDsv2INSl
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 6, 2026
Heat's Erik Spoelstra shares “encouraging” take on Kel'el Ware
As Ware has been pushing for more minutes for the Heat, an outing like Thursday night is one that will prove consistent time should be given to the second-year center. Spoelstra would be emphatic after the win, expressing to ClutchPoints how he was “encouraged” by the performance, as Ware recorded a +18 on the floor.
“He was jumping, getting off the ground, and the head coach didn't even have to tell him,” Spoelstra said. “I think his teammates are encouraging him to be more aggressive guarding the basket, and he's getting more alert in situations. You know, his first few rim protections were in our man, which are the toughest ones to get in the pick and roll, but he was super active tonight.”
Asked Erik Spoelstra about Kel’el Ware’s impact on the game tonight as he had a historic outing:
“He was jumping! Getting off the ground, and his head coach didn't even have to tell him…He was super active tonight…Really should’ve been 8 blocks…” #HeatNation
Full response: pic.twitter.com/3qvVHm1V8G
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 6, 2026
There would also be times where the league took away blocks from Ware, with Spoelstra saying he could've tied San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama for the most blocks in a game this season.
“Really should have been eight blocks,” Spoelstra continued. “And then I think they took another one off that should have been nine blocks. You know, who's got those blocks this season? Wemby, Nine? Dang it. Should have been Kel'el tying that tonight. You know, I'm encouraged by his last handful of games, just doing a lot of things that are impacting the game.”
Heat's Tyler Herro with a stern reminder about Kel'el Ware
While Ware's growth with the Heat has been a treat for fans, it appears that the sky is the limit for the Indiana product, with him seemingly being a foundational piece to the team's future. There has no doubt been ups and downs in the two seasons Ware has been in the NBA, but as Herro echoed, one can “see the potential he can tap into.”
“People forget Kel’el is only 21 years old, second year in the league,” Herro said after leading the team with 25 points in the win over Brooklyn. “There’s going to be ups and downs, he’s still learning, best thing about Kel’el, he wants to learn, he wants to be great…you see the potential he can tap into.”
Tyler Herro speaks about Kel’el Ware’s impact, says people forget he’s 21.
Also asked about Kasparas Jakucionis, says he’s one of the hardest workers he’s been around #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/iWhsAdjSHU
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 6, 2026
Ware looks to stack and build off the outing as Miami has little time to rest with a crucial game on Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets in the second game of a back-to-back. The game has implications in the East standings as the Heat are 34-29 and eighth in the conference, while the Hornets are ninth with two games back.
