The Miami Heat are heading into the All-Star break with more than just a win-they're heading in with a sense of progress. Wednesday night’s 123-111 road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans wasn’t just about snapping a stretch of inconsistency. It was about seeing something click, especially in the frontcourt pairing of Bam Adebayo and rookie big man Kel’el Ware.
For the second straight game, head coach Erik Spoelstra rolled out Adebayo and Ware together in the starting lineup-a look that’s been tested before but is starting to show real signs of promise. With key rotation players like Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson, and Tyler Herro sidelined due to injuries, Spoelstra leaned into a bigger lineup, and it paid off.
Adebayo was his usual force of nature, putting up 27 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and four blocks. Ware, the 7-footer out of Indiana, added 16 points and 12 boards of his own, continuing to look more comfortable with each passing game. And it’s not just the box score that tells the story-it’s the way these two are starting to complement each other on both ends of the floor.
“It makes everything better,” Ware said in a conversation with SiriusXM Radio, reflecting on the pairing. “It makes it more of a safe space not just for us but the guards.
If you get blown by, you have either me or Bam back there. We can protect the rim.
One can go for the block, one can go for the rebound.”
That’s the kind of defensive safety net that can change the complexion of a game. With Ware and Adebayo anchoring the paint, Miami’s perimeter defenders can take more risks, knowing they’ve got elite coverage behind them. It’s a luxury few teams have, and it’s starting to look like a real weapon for Spoelstra.
Spoelstra himself seems intrigued by the possibilities. “I like it,” he said in a postgame interview.
“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. They both want to make it work.”
Erik Spoelstra’s full thoughts on the Bam–Ware lineup:
— 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) February 12, 2026
"I liked it. I think both are in a different place than they were 6 to 8 weeks ago — 3 months ago — for different reasons. But that gives us a different look. And the versatility of being able to play the two of them… pic.twitter.com/C9tJg5BrsK
That last part matters. Frontcourt duos can be tricky-spacing, timing, and role clarity are all critical. But when both players are committed to making it work, and when their skill sets mesh like this, it opens up new dimensions for a team that’s been searching for consistency all season.
At 29-27, the Heat sit eighth in the Eastern Conference. Not exactly where they want to be, but not out of the hunt either.
With the All-Star break giving them a chance to regroup, the Feb. 20 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks looms large. If this Adebayo-Ware pairing continues to grow, it could be the kind of midseason development that helps Miami find its rhythm down the stretch.
For now, Ware will represent the Heat in the Rising Stars event during All-Star Weekend-a well-earned nod for a young player who’s starting to carve out a real role. And for Miami, the hope is that this recent frontcourt experiment becomes more than a short-term fix. It might just be the key to unlocking a higher ceiling in the second half of the season.