This Heat duo is beginning to take off

For the first one-and-a-half seasons, the Miami Heat’s big man duo of Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware struggled to find rhythm together on either end.

Last season, their two most frequent lineups ranked in the 42nd and 39th percentile in NET, including the 41st and 18th percentile offensively, according to Cleaning The Glass. There were pockets of success, but the spacing was oftentimes poor, with both players occupying similar spots on the floor.

The results were considerably worst through Feb. 1 this season, sporting a minus-6.2 NET, where they were poor on both ends. Their defense dropped off the map, and the offense wasn’t much better.

However, they have begun to showcase some of their potential over the last month as the league’s most productive duo, gaining trust and opening eyes.

Bam Adebayo, Kel’el Ware have been NBA’s best duo since start of February:

According to NBA.com’s lineup tracking data, the two players have logged 75 minutes together since the start of February. Over that span, when Ware and Adebayo have shared the floor together, they have outscored opponents by 109 points in 105 minutes with a league-best plus-47.8 NET Rating.

Their competition hasn’t been particularly sturdy over that span, facing just three teams above .500 over that span. However, they outscored Houston’s frontcourt by 21 points and Charlotte’s by two points, while completely dominating Washington, Brooklyn and New Orleans, three of the West’s worst squads.

These next few weeks will present some intriguing challenges. Miami hosts Detroit on Sunday; they host the Magic next weekend, followed by games against Charlotte and Houston (again) plus San Antonio, Cleveland and Boston.

Most of all, Adebayo and Ware have played up to expectations both offensively and defensively. Both have spaced the floor well, while Ware’s continued to be a viable lob threat, where he’s utilized best, plus as a weakside shot blocker and rim protector.

We’ll see if their strong play against better teams continues. In totality, Miami is just 17-22 against teams above .500 with a dozen games against such teams over the final five weeks.