Heat's Adebayo and Ware Show Promise in Frontcourt Pairing

The duo has found success recently, but consistency remains a challenge.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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The Miami Heat's double-big frontcourt of Bam Adebayo and Kel'el Ware has shown promise in recent games, outscoring opponents by 68 points in the 42 minutes they played together over the past three contests. This is a notable improvement from earlier in the season when the Adebayo-Ware lineups struggled. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra has praised the duo's effort to make the pairing work, though Ware's playing time has been uneven at times.

Why it matters

For the Heat to reach their full potential this season, the Adebayo-Ware frontcourt will need to produce consistent positive minutes together. Their recent success provides hope, but the duo will need to maintain that level of play after the All-Star break for the Heat to maximize their versatility and size advantage.

The details

Adebayo and Ware had struggled to play effectively together earlier in the season, with the Heat being outscored by 7.5 points per 100 possessions in the 266 minutes they shared the court. However, in the three games leading up to the All-Star break, the Adebayo-Ware frontcourt outscored opponents by 68 points. Spoelstra praised their improved effort and approach, though he noted Ware had previously regressed in his play and needed to "stack days" to earn more minutes.

  • The Adebayo-Ware frontcourt enters the All-Star break with momentum from the past three games.
  • Ware had a team-worst plus/minus of minus-100 prior to this recent three-game stretch.

The players

Bam Adebayo

The Heat's starting center and a fixture in their lineup.

Kel'el Ware

The 7-foot center who has started 29 games and come off the bench in 23 games this season for the Heat.

Erik Spoelstra

The head coach of the Miami Heat.

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What they’re saying

“I like it. I think they're both in a different place than where they were six, eight weeks ago, three months ago for different reasons. But that gives us a different look and the versatility of being able to play the two of them together and pound the glass on both ends is a weapon for us.”

— Erik Spoelstra, Head Coach (miamiherald.com)

“We just got to be active. It's not necessarily about the boards. Everybody is going to point to that. But if we're active on offense and defense, it looks great and it can help this team.”

— Bam Adebayo (miamiherald.com)

“We never really spoke about it directly. We both know it was more of a miscommunication. But yeah I never went on the court and tried to play bad. That would just make myself look bad. I would say it was more trying to get used to playing in a different role.”

— Kel'el Ware (SiriusXM NBA Radio)

What’s next

The Heat will resume their schedule on Friday, February 21 against the Atlanta Hawks, providing an opportunity for Adebayo and Ware to build on their recent success.

The takeaway

The Heat's double-big frontcourt of Adebayo and Ware has shown promise, but consistency will be key if the team wants to maximize their size and versatility. Their ability to maintain this level of play after the All-Star break could be crucial to the Heat's playoff aspirations.