Like we delved into ahead of the Miami Heat’s first-round series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, this one was a very good litmus test for Heat first-round rookie Kel’el Ware.
The 7-foot big had a successful regular season, but right away, the rookie was going to get a taste of his first postseason against one of the best frontcourt duos in the NBA in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. That dynamic duo–in addition its star-studded backcourt in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland–helped lead Cleveland to one of its best seasons in franchise history.
Game 1 wasn’t kindest to the Heat’s rookie, getting played off the floor in 20 minutes–nearly three months after struggling mightily in 30 minutes in their Jan. 29 meeting against Cleveland, the only other game Ware has played against them this season.
On Saturday, Ware finished with two points, two blocks, three rebounds and two assists. He did not record his first rebound until 10:09 left in the third quarter with his first basket coming on a putback slam at the 7:08 mark
Both Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro opined about the rookie’s first struggles in his first career postseason game on Monday–with both believing he will bounce back.
“He has to go through it,” Adebayo said on the rookie, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “He’s young, but the thing about it is we know he’ll bounce back. He’s one of those rookies who retains a lot of information very well and we need him. So from that standpoint, understanding we get two days to lock in and he gets to refocus and he’s already got that first game out of the way. Now we go into this game Wednesday with a different mindset.”“Kel’el being in that environment, going through his very first playoff game, it probably surprised him a little bit,” Herro said. “But he’ll be better and he’ll continue to improve and figure out what works in each series. Obviously, we need him big time if we’re going to compete in this series.”
It’s a small sample, but the Heat has been outscored by 27.7 points per 100 possessions with Ware on the floor against the Cavaliers in two games. Single game plus-minus is one the flukiest stats in sports, but Ware’s lack of physicality, body positioning and assertiveness has hurt in those two meetings.
The recently-turned 21-year-old will have to adjust to this seismic test. Miami’s point-of-attack defense–or lack thereof–didn’t do Ware and its backline any favors. Herro got hunted relentlessly; Highsmith’s perimeter defense fell way below his standard; Burks and Robinson’s impact defensively were negligible.
There was a lot of strain applied by Mitchell, Garland and Ty Jerome, who became the first guard trio in NBA History to score at least 27 points each in a playoff game. It wasn’t all Ware, but he also didn’t do himself any favors by looking like a deer in headlights.
“This is the life of a young player,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You’re being fed through a fire hose and he’s important to what we do. He’ll get to work. That’s the thing I really respect about Kel’el. And the areas that he’s gotten a lot better, we’re going to need in this series.”
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Ware has to go through this process so he can learn, first hand, what his job entails and what he has to work on to be better in the future. It’s better for him to gain this valuable experience now rather than missing the playoffs entirely and having to go through it a year from now.
No one expected Miami to win this series. Therefore, we must look at what the benefit of playoff experience does for the players Miami plans to keep while clarifying which players the team needs to move on from (the sooner the better).
Highsmith should be getting 15, max. He got 30. No Jovic or JJJ. I’m okay with the argument if you actually play those guys, including more than 19 minutes for Ware. But if they are going to play minimum contract Burks then WTF are we doing this for?
Game 2 is going to tell a lot.
Come on, Kel’el. We gave up a pick so you could go through this. Show us it wasn’t a terrible idea. 😉
Come on, Kel’el. We gave up a pick so you could go through this. Show us it wasn’t a terrible idea. 😉