(Mandatory credit: Miami Heat/X)
The Miami Heat have continued their winning ways on Thursday amidst this end of season playoff push. They took down the Brooklyn Nets in their second straight matchup at home, as Miami is now riding a three-game winning streak.
It is also the Heat’s seventh win out of their last 10 games and will now improve to five games over .500 at 34-29 overall. They are now just a half game out of the sixth seed Philadelphia 76ers with a real pathway to the goal of avoiding the play-in becoming a reality.
There were six Heat players to score in double-digits, spearheaded by Tyler Herro’s team-high 25 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds on an efficient 9 of 17 shooting. Bam Adebayo added 21 points and 7 boards. Role players like Pelle Larsson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. pitched in 16 and 18 points, respectively.
However, the real impressive statline came from sophomore big man Kel’el Ware, who has continued to look super impactful on both ends off the bench in recent games. Ware had a 16 points and 11 rebounds double-double while also securing an absolutely dominant seven blocks and five steals in 32 minutes. He was playing with elite force defensively, and continues to showcase his ceiling raising talents of late.
Ware become the first Heat player ever to have a 10-10-5-5 game and just the 22nd player in NBA history to hit those marks with blocks and steals, per Heat writer Couper Moorhead on X. Additionally, Ware’s the first with those numbers coming off the bench in NBA history. He continues to keep stacking up encouraging days, with maturity in his game both on and off the court progressing at a rapid pace each day at just 21 years old.
Miami finished the game with a 66-54 second half edge over Brooklyn in this one. They closed them out down the stretch with team-wide 53% shooting efficiency to the Nets’ 43%. The Heat also did a great job controlling the basketball, as they had an advantage in the turnover department at 19-12. Brooklyn’s Michael Porter Jr. had a game-high 27 points and 13 rebounds, but got minimal support from the rest of the Nets rotation.
The Heat handled the Nets relatively easily with these two consecutive matchups against them to conclude the homestand. But they will need to get right back to work against a surging Charlotte Hornets squad tomorrow night on the road in the second night of a back-to-back.
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Wouldn’t it be nice to play the Nets more often. I know a bunch of guys had excellent games, and Ware’s was historically notable. But, I was most impressed with Ty, as he made an array of shots that were highlight reel worthy. His finishing is upper echelon.
Still, tonite they all get tested against a real opponent, as it’s not Bethune Cookman playing against the U anymore. And Charlotte is legit as they haven’t just been beating teams, but double digit dominating them. It will be interesting to see who stands tall and who doesn’t. Suddenly, the Heat are becoming a little more interesting.
One of the best games Ware has played. Other good news is Bam and Wiggins played <25 min and Pelle 30. Heat are 6 point underdogs vs CHA, need those three to play 35 min. Herro again scoring at will in the paint, 12 PITP