Kel’el Ware

Southeast Notes: Hornets, Kokoskov, Heat, Adebayo, Banchero

March 6th, 2025 at 9:30am CST by Dana Gauruder

Have the Hornets already gone into tank mode? It might seem that way, considering they’ve lost 17 of their 19 games. Head coach Charles Lee denies that’s the case.

“I think it would be very easy to sometimes lay down when you are in the position that you are, but we are obsessed with daily improvement,” Lee told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “Part of daily improvement is going into every game and facing a different type of opponent, different strategy, different coverages, different matchups, and adjusting and adapting. And they’ve done a really good job of doing that.”

Miles Bridges says the players aren’t giving up, even as the losses pile up.

“We’ve got to play with pride — we’re in the NBA,” Bridges said. “We are blessed to be in the NBA. That’s my mindset coming into a game. I’m blessed to be here in the NBA, so I want to go out and give 100% and I try to give that to the other guys. Just going out and playing with pride. Being on a losing streak sucks for everybody. If we can get a win next game against the best team in the league (Cleveland on Friday), that will probably turn us up.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Igor Kokoskov became an NBA head coach again — at least for one night. The Hawks assistant filled in on Tuesday for Quin Snyder, who was battling an illness. Atlanta lost to Milwaukee, 127-121. Kokoskov was Phoenix’s head coach during the 2018/19 season. “None of us knew until right before tipoff,” point guard Trae Young told Charles Odum of the Associated Press. “He was here early. It kind of surprised us but we still had a game to go play. It sucks we couldn’t get him the win.”
As things stand, the Heat could wind up with two first-round picks in this year’s rich draft. The Heat will keep its own pick if it misses the opening round of the playoffs, most likely by losing in the play-in tournament. The Heat will receive the Warriors first-round pick if it falls between 11-30, which is becoming an increasing likely outcome. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald takes a look at some of the players who might be available in the middle of the first round, including UConn’s Liam McNeeley, Duke’s Kon Knueppel and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears.
Bam Adebayo‘s offensive production has increased since rookie Heat center Kel’el Ware was inserted into the starting lineup. That’s no coincidence, he told Jackson. “It gave me more energy to play offense,” he said. “I’m not in every pick-and-roll. Obviously, he’s guarding the five [the center]. A lot of four men [power forwards] don’t and do the things that fives do. For me, it definitely let a load off me where I definitely could focus more on scoring.” Adebayo averaged 15.7 PPG in the first 40 games and 21.3 PPG in the past 19 games, including 17 with Ware starting.
The Magic anticipated they’d be on the upswing once Paolo Banchero started producing at his usual levels again. It hasn’t worked out that way. Banchero, who was sidelined for two-and-a-half months with an abdominal injury, has averaged 29.6 points on 47.8% shooting, 6.3 rebounds, 4.9 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 34.7 minutes over the past seven games. However, Orlando has lost four straight, including twice to the Raptors. “We’ve got to do some soul-searching,” Banchero told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “The good thing about a time like this is that, really, the only way you can go is up.”

Southeast Notes: Okogie, McClung, Ware, Robinson, Mitchell

March 3rd, 2025 at 7:17pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets forward Josh Okogie has begun individual on-court workouts as he continues to rehab a left hamstring strain, the team’s PR department tweets. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.

Okogie has been sidelined since late January. He had given Charlotte a boost after being acquired earlier that month, averaging 10 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.7 steals and 1.4 assists in 21.3 minutes per game over seven appearances.

Okogie was traded from Phoenix to Charlotte as part of the Nick Richards deal. A rotation regular with Phoenix for two-and-a-half seasons, Okogie played 25 games with the Suns this season. He’s in the first year of a two-year, $16MM contract, which includes a non-guaranteed salary of $7.75MM next season.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Three-time dunk contest winner Mac McClung suffered a broken right thumb while playing for the NBA G League’s Osceola Magic on Sunday, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets. McClung, who is averaging 21.1 points in the G League while on a two-way contract with the Magic, plans to play through the injury, according to Charania.
Heat rookie big man Kel’el Ware was sidelined on Monday against the Wizards due to a sprained left knee. It’s the first game he has missed with an injury or illness since sitting out the Heat’s Dec. 2 loss to the Celtics due to right foot tendinitis, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. Ware was benched for virtually all of the fourth quarter in an overtime loss to the Knicks on Sunday, then played three-plus minutes in OT. “Every game I sit back, I watch it, I try to learn from it and see where I can get better,” Ware said. “So it’s a developmental process.” Ware underwent an MRI on his knee, which showed no structural damage, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets.
Duncan Robinson had a combined 44 points and 11 assists in two Heat victories prior to being held to 10 points and five assists in 32 minutes on Sunday. Robinson can become a free agent this upcoming summer by terminating next season’s $19.9MM salary by June 29. If Robinson opts in for 2025/26, the Heat could make him a free agent by waiving him by July 8 — in that scenario Miami would only be on the hook for $9.9MM. However, Robinson’s strong play may make that a difficult choice, Chiang notes. “He’s really improved in all aspects,” coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Heat guard Davion Mitchell has been receiving heavy minutes in nine appearances since being acquired in the Jimmy Butler blockbuster. Mitchell has averaged 10.1 points, 4.2 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 53.9 percent from the field in 33.1 minutes per game. “We want to encourage him to continue to be more aggressive,” Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “I think he still can be a guy who can generate some easy opportunities when he touches the paint. He’s a very willing passer, he wants to get guys involved, he wants to get our main guys the ball almost to a fault. We’ll clean that all up. But I like his game when he’s assertive because he has the right intentions to move the ball.”

Heat Notes: Ware, 2026 Outlook, Rotation, Playoff Push

February 20th, 2025 at 7:30pm CST by Tristan Tucker

In a tumultuous season that saw star forward Jimmy Butler dealt to the Warriors at the deadline, the Heat‘s defining positive moment from the season continues to be the development of rookie center Kel’el Ware, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. Not only has Ware taken significant individual strides in recent weeks, his fit with Bam Adebayo in the frontcourt offers a reason for optimism moving forward.

Ware’s play has him in the top three in Rookie of the Year odds so far despite the fact that he played double-digit minutes in just two of the Heat’s first 25 games. He’s averaging 11.9 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 53.6% from the floor and 37.3% from deep since the New Year.

“Nightly he’s getting challenged, and these are all opportunities to grow and learn,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He has to do it on the fly. But he’s been a great student. He’s been coachable, not only by the staff but by his teammates. He wants to get it right, he wants to make an impact, he wants to help and he’s facing different challenges.”

We have more on the Heat:

The Heat were able to position themselves decently for 2026 free agency in the Butler deal, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. By avoiding taking on individual salary exceeding $50MM, the Heat will still have some cap space if they hold on to/extend their young core and add cap hits for any potential first-round draft picks. While star free agents don’t usually sign into cap space, Jackson takes a look at how the Heat could create a pathway to do so in a loaded 2026 free agent class. Miami also put themselves in a strong position to make a big move this offseason, equipped with young players, large expiring salaries, and draft capital acquired from Golden State.
Miami’s rotation will be worth monitoring going forward. Kyle Anderson, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell will all likely be factors, but it’s unclear what role each will have on a younger roster. In a piece analyzing post-All-Star questions, Chiang ponders which young players will continue to emerge and considers whether Keshad Johnson or Pelle Larsson will play more moving forward. Chiang also explores whether the Heat can avoid the play-in for the third straight year and if Tyler Herro can continue his All-Star production.
The Heat’s newcomers know they need to play with a level of desperation in order to secure a playoff spot and make some noise in the postseason, Adam Lichtenstein of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes. “I feel I needed the All-Star break just to go back and see my family, refresh and get ready for this last stretch of the season,” Wiggins said. The Heat are three games behind the Pistons for sixth in the East, which would keep them out of play-in territory. Miami sits at ninth in the conference standings entering Thursday.

Heat Notes: Butler, Spoelstra, Rivas, Buyout Market, Wiggins, Rotation

February 10th, 2025 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Heat won half of their first 50 games this season. Considering the extended Jimmy Butler drama, coach Erik Spoelstra is relieved that the team’s spirit didn’t crumble before Butler was dealt to Golden State.

“It was six, eight weeks of not having full clarity,” Spoelstra said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “But I think that helped our team develop some grit. Even though our record isn’t where we want it to be, it could have been a lot worse. You go through a lot of circumstances like that, I’ve seen a lot of teams just fall apart. So we were able to develop some grit that I really like when you have those opportunities during a regular season.”

We have more on the Heat:

Armando Rivas, listed as an assistant athletic trainer, has submitted his resignation, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman writes. Rivas served as Butler’s de facto personal trainer during the forward’s tenure with the Heat, joining Butler from the 76ers during the 2019 offseason.
The Heat plan to explore the buyout market, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. They’ll take a cautious approach, since they already have a full roster and would have to waive a player, most likely either Alec Burks or Keshad Johnson, to bring someone new aboard. The Heat’s deadline moves allowed them to move below the first tax apron, meaning they can sign any player who’s bought out, regardless of the player’s pre-waiver salary.
Andrew Wiggins, the biggest name among the incoming players in the Butler blockbuster, believes he won’t have any trouble fitting into the Heat’s lineup. “Golden State had a unique style, especially playing with Steph (Curry) and Draymond (Green),” he said, per Chiang. “There are similarities with Tyler (Herro) and Bam (Adebayo). So, looking forward to getting out there, being one of the older guys and just getting it started with them.”
The deadline additions will create some interesting decisions regarding the rotation. Winderman speculates that the only rotation locks are Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Kel’el Ware, Duncan Robinson, Davion Mitchell and Nikola Jovic.

Stephon Castle, Kel’el Ware Named Rookies Of The Month

February 4th, 2025 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Spurs guard Stephon Castle has been named the NBA’s Rookie of the Month for the Western Conference in January, while Heat center Kel’el Ware has earned the honor for the Eastern Conference, the league announced today (via Twitter).

Castle, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft, appeared in 12 games for San Antonio last month, starting 10 of them. He averaged 14.9 points, 3.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds in 27.0 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .431/.288/.727.

Of the nine San Antonio players who logged at least 100 minutes in January, Castle had the best net rating of the bunch (+1.0) and was one of just two Spurs – along with Victor Wembanyama – whose net rating was positive.

Over in the East, Ware began playing a regular rotation role for the Heat in late December and carried that momentum over to the new year, earning a promotion to the starting lineup midway through January.

In 16 total outings (five starts) for the month, Ware averaged 13.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 24.7 minutes per night. He also scored extremely efficiently, with shooting percentages of 56.5% from the floor and 44.7% on three-pointers.

It’s the first Player of the Month nod for either player. They beat out fellow nominees Isaiah Collier, Ryan Dunn, and Jaylen Wells in the West and Tristan da Silva, Zaccharie Risacher, and Alex Sarr in the East, according to the NBA (Twitter link).

Heat Notes: Fox, Adebayo, Ware, Herro

January 31st, 2025 at 2:36pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Bam Adebayo continues to serve as an ambassador for the Heat in attempts to recruit top players to Miami. Adebayo playing alongside Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard is a key reason why both players were interested in playing for the Heat before being traded elsewhere, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald notes. That’s why when Adebayo’s friend and former Kentucky teammate De’Aaron Fox was put on the trade block on Tuesday, it was safe to count the Heat among Fox’s potential destinations.

While the Spurs are said to be Fox’s preferred destination, the Heat have generally been in on most of the top stars to hit the trade market in the last few years. Adebayo discussed his relationship with Fox, noting that he was part of the point guard’s wedding party in 2022.

“That’s my man,” Adebayo said. “That’s my college roommate. Our relationship, for me, I think is very solid. I was in his wedding, I was a groomsman. That just shows the level of respect. That just shows the level of respect and obviously the bond that we have.”

Adebayo said he hasn’t spoken directly with Fox about trade possibilities and didn’t specifically address the possibility of the Heat making an offer for the Kings star.

“There are a lot of dudes who have been in organizations where in 10 years, they had seven or eight different coaches,” Adebayo said. “They’ve had teams where it’s all young dudes because they’re in the lottery all the time or dudes that have never been past the second round. They see the success here and they want to be a part of it.”

We have more from the Heat:

The Heat are seeing success from two-big lineups featuring Adebayo and rookie Kel’el Ware, but they ran into some difficulty when playing the similarly supersized Cavaliers on Wednesday, Chiang writes in a separate story. The Cavs’ frontcourt led by Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley helped Cleveland outscore Miami 68-38 in the paint. The Heat were also outscored in second-chance points. “The second-chance points are a big problem that we need to hone in on,” Adebayo said. “But it’s not just because we got two bigs out there, you think you’re going to fix a problem. You’re trying to add pressure to a rookie that just really started getting his minutes and started to get his feet wet. So I don’t really look at it in that sense. But we do collectively as a group have to get better at rebounding.“
The Heat are sixth in the East following Wednesday’s loss to the Cavs, just a half-game ahead of the Magic and Pistons. While Ware is still a work in progress, the Heat are trying to win now behind their young talent. “We’re a bigger frontline and this needs to be corrected,” Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “There are no excuses now. We have to be a lot more physical and purposeful on the glass. It’s that important for us to finish possessions.”
Trade chatter surrounding Jimmy Butler could have easily derailed the Heat’s season, but they’re in playoff position due in part to Tyler Herro‘s career year, which earned him his first All-Star nod on Thursday. As William Guillory of The Athletic writes, Herro’s inclusion in trade rumors in his first few seasons in the league helped him sharpen his mindset. “Honestly, I think a lot of that stuff helped me. It might sound crazy. I think it allowed me to come in with a clear mindset,” Herro said. “There was so much talk [in the summer of 2023] that there was no way I could avoid it. I couldn’t pretend like it wasn’t there. But once I just accepted that there was nothing I could do about it, it made it a lot easier to just focus on hooping. Overall, I think it helped me become a better player.“

Heat Notes: Butler, Herro, Ware, Jovic, Robinson

January 27th, 2025 at 10:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Six-time All-Star Heat forward Jimmy Butler has been suspended for the third time this season by his own team. As a result of this latest suspension, he’s out indefinitely. With the NBA trade deadline less than two weeks away, however, he may be seeing on-court action soon enough — for someone else.

Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra opted to keep relatively mum on the Butler situation ahead of a 125-119 double-overtime victory Monday over Orlando, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).

“I get it, what you guys all want right now,” Spoelstra told reporters. “And I figure that’s why this media room is full right now. We’re trying to quiet the noise and we’re just focusing on the task at hand. There is no better place to be than just the present moment.”

When asked about how the Heat’s older players were handling the Butler drama, Spoelstra expressed apathy, Winderman reports (via Twitter).

“I don’t really care,” Spoelstra said. “We’re just focusing on the task at hand.”

For their part, several Heat players opted to downplay the Butler suspension after their teammate reportedly walked out of Monday’s shootaround upon hearing he had been demoted to a bench role in favor of Haywood Highsmith, prompting his latest suspension.

Highsmith himself claimed he did not even notice Butler exit the shootaround, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). After talking with other Miami players, Jackson tweets that it was apparently not a “big scene.”

There’s more out of Miami:

Thanks to a breakout season, guard Tyler Herro seems like the 23-22 Heat’s best bet to land a player in the All-Star game next month. Writing for The Miami Herald, Jackson considers how Herro compares to the other Eastern Conference guards looking to become All-Star reserves this year, including Cleveland’s Darius Garland and Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball.
Rookie Heat center Kel’el Ware is thriving with expanded minutes and a bigger role for Miami, writes Adam Lichtenstein of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. He had averaged a scant nine minutes per night during his first two months as a pro. Ware has notched a double-double in four of his last five contests, while serving as Miami’s new starting center across the past four. Bam Adebayo has been moved to a forward role. “He’s earned these minutes,” Spoelstra said of Ware. “That’s the most important thing. He’s earned it with what he’s been doing on the court to the point where we had to find ways to get him more minutes.” Jackson notes in another piece that the rookie is already developing a strong bond with young forward Nikola Jovic on the court.
Spoelstra has been toggling Heat wing Duncan Robinson between a starting role and a bench gig this season, writes Jackson in another article. “It’s never easy,” Robinson said. “We’re all ambitious. We all want what’s best for us as a team, but then we all have our own individual careers. We want that for ourselves as well. You know stuff is going to change. You know the way Spo operates. He’s always pulling triggers, trying to find lineups that work.

Heat Notes: Ware, Larsson, Rozier, Butler, Rivers

January 25th, 2025 at 8:25am CST by Tristan Tucker

Heat first-year center Kel’el Ware is quietly moving up the rookie rankings and is now seen as a favorite for the Rookie of the Year award. He started the second half of a blowout win against the Spurs on Jan. 19, scoring 25 points, and has since been promoted to the starting lineup alongside Bam Adebayo, allowing the latter to slide down to the four spot.

“It was working,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of starting the pair together, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst (Insider link). “There’s a lot of complex decisions that we’re trying to make. If there’s something that’s obvious, and it’s working in a big way, let’s do it.”

In his three games getting extended looks next to Adebayo, Ware is averaging 22.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per night while shooting 52.9% from the field and launching 6.0 three-point attempts per game. Really, his improvement’s been on display since the start of the month. In 13 games in January, he’s averaging 13.6 PPG and 7.0 RPG. It’s a remarkable turnaround for a player who didn’t often see many minutes in 2024.

“There’s not a better organization for him to have gone to than that one,” a Western Conference scout told ESPN.

We have more from the Heat:

Another Heat rookie got a chance to stand out as Pelle Larsson was elevated to the starting lineup on Thursday against the Bucks, as observed by the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson (Twitter link). Larsson took over Jimmy Butler‘s starting position with the six-time All-Star suspended by the team, supplanting Jaime Jaquez Jr., who had claimed that spot during Butler’s previous suspension. Larsson quickly got into foul trouble, however, and only played 14 minutes. He’s averaging 4.3 points in 27 games this year.
Terry Rozier is a “strong believer” that his and the Heat’s play will turn around during the second half of the season, according to HoopsHype’s Cyro Asseo de Choch. Rozier admitted that it has been a challenge adjusting his style of play this year. “When we look at last year, I probably got 8-10 ball screens a game. Now I probably don’t get more than one to two ball screens,” Rozier said. “And it’s not a knock on anybody. We obviously have players who we’re mainly worried about. And we’re trying to get active and we’re trying to get going. So I’m just trying to find my ways, find my rhythm. And it’s been kind of, it’s been kind of tough this season. But I think right now where I’m at, my headspace and everything, I kind of know what I want to do and how I can help this team go forward.”
There’s a myriad of potential outcomes for the Heat’s standoff with Butler, Ira Winderman of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel writes. It would be a win for Butler if he ends up in his preferred destination, Phoenix, while the Heat would come away victorious if they obtained their ideal trade package by moving him. Rolling suspensions, paying him not to play, and a messy summer could all come into play if Butler isn’t moved at the deadline, Winderman writes.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers offered some sympathies to Spoelstra in regard to the Butler dilemma on Thursday before the two teams squared off. “I just hope they find a way through it,” Rivers said, per Winderman (Twitter link). “I feel terrible for Spo. There’s no winning for Spo.” As Winderman relays, Rivers noted that he dealt with a similar situation with Ben Simmons in Philadelphia.

Heat Notes: Highsmith, Butler, Adebayo, Jaquez, Herro

January 22nd, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra made a significant change to his starting lineup Tuesday night, using rookie big man Kel’el Ware alongside Bam Adebayo in a double-big frontcourt. That meant Haywood Highsmith came off the bench after starting 32 of the previous 33 games he had played, and he saw just four minutes of action in a loss to Portland.

“Just control what I can control,” Highsmith told reporters, including Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “It’s a long season. I know there are going to be ups and downs. I’m used to it, for sure.”

The 28-year-old forward has been primarily a reserve during his four seasons in Miami, but his role has expanded this season, even though his minutes aren’t always steady. Spoelstra emphasized that the team is still counting on Highsmith to contribute, even when he doesn’t start.

“I actually talked to him about it, that sometimes when things are fluid and they’re moving fast, sometimes things happen and it’s not at all an indictment or an indication of how you’re playing,” Spoelstra said. “He’s an example of that. He’s had really important minutes and his role is important for us. He just has to stay with it. We all believe in him, we all know his importance. And as we figure things out, his minutes will likely be more consistent.”

There’s more from Miami:

In light of Jimmy Butler‘s latest suspension, Shams Charania of ESPN describes the situation with the volatile forward as “untenable” (Twitter video link). He adds that Heat coaches and players view the standoff as “a distraction” and “chaos,” and some cite a lack of clarity in the organization.
Among the reasons for Butler’s first suspension was a perceived lack of effort, and Bobby Marks of ESPN offers several statistics to back that up (Twitter link). Among the highlights, Butler attempted fewer than 10 field goals in four of his last five games, and he moved at a “fast speed” – as defined by Second Spectrum – just 5% of the time in Tuesday’s game vs. Portland.
Adebayo has helped to keep the team’s younger players focused on business rather than the daily news about Butler, per Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel. “They’re handling it as professionally as they should,” Adebayo said. “I’m really emphasizing to the young guys to really be professional in this league. But, like I said before, we still have to play games.”
Jaime Jaquez filled in well as Butler’s replacement in the starting lineup during his first suspension, but he was back in a reserve role once Butler returned, Winderman adds. The second-year forward has already learned how to handle such adjustments. “What I realize is that is part of the NBA,” Jaquez said. “And you’ve just got to be ready for what comes. And I think, myself, I’m starting to grow and realize just be ready for anything, not have any expectations, just go out here and be ready to hoop.”
The Heat struggled to create good scoring opportunities on Tuesday as Tyler Herro missed his first game of the season, Winderman observes in a separate story. Herro is dealing with groin soreness, but he’s listed as probable for Thursday’s game at Milwaukee.

Southeast Notes: Ball, Adebayo, Ware, Herro, Hawks

January 20th, 2025 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LaMelo Ball leads the Eastern Conference All-Star voting among guards despite the Hornets‘ poor record (11-28). However, Ball has stepped up his game, particularly on defense, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes.

Ball had 23 points, nine assists and seven rebounds in Charlotte’s victory over Dallas on Monday afternoon.

“His two-way play has really helped us,” coach Charles Lee said. “We’ve made an effort to play with more pace offensively. I think the whole squad has really bought into that and he’s really the head of the snake when it comes to pace, and his attack and willingness to either go finish in the attack or collapse the defense and kick out for some early opportunities.

“And then defensively, he’s denying (Kyrie) Irving at the end of the game, being more physical. I feel like in our transition defense, we are having a lot more communication and urgency to get back. So, just really impressed with his two-way game and not trying to be offensively focused.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

The pairing of Bam Adebayo and rookie Kel’el Ware gave the Heat a “dynamic” new look, according to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. At the end of the first half and beginning of the second half, the Heat went on a 36-13 run against San Antonio on Sunday with the two bigs playing together. “Right now, defensively that just looked like it was elite,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “So if I have to lean into this thing defensively right now for our team to get to another level, I will. That could be a path and we’ll dive into this. But that looks like a path where we can find some higher success, at least on one side of the floor.”
Tyler Herro is averaging career bests in points, rebounds and assists and the Heat wing is drawing extra defensive attention. Lakers coach JJ Redick says the Herro needs to be guarded like Stephen Curry. Adebayo said it’s a learning experience for Herro, Chiang writes. “He is the focal point of a lot of scouting reports,” he said. “So for us, it’s understanding that he’s got to play kind of like Steph. He might not get the ball, but go set a screen, go screen somebody. That’s how you get yourself open. Me and him had that conversation during the (Spurs) game. He was like, ‘Man, what am I supposed to do?’ I was like, ‘Just go screen for somebody.’ Literally if they’re face-guarding you, just go screen for somebody. Somebody is going to be open.”
The Hawks have the East’s fourth-best record in large part because they’re handling adversity better, according to Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. They have a 6-2 record against the teams above them in the conference standings. “Your hope is when you find adversity in the game, because it comes in a lot of different forms that that can bring you together and you can raise your level, as opposed to it splitting you apart,” coach Quin Snyder said.

Load More Posts