Inside The Heat

Miami Heat Rookie Kel’El Ware Finally Earns Opportunity in Loss to Magic

Jake Elman

Dec 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA;Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Dec 21, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA;Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) dunks the ball against the Orlando Magic in the first quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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For one night, we saw exactly why the Miami Heat drafted Kel’el Ware.

Playing in his first NBA game since Nov. 27, Ware recorded eight points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 121-114 loss to the Orlando Magic. He added two blocks and made all four shots in 14 minutes.

“It’s always great to play,” Ware told reporters, adding, “I got the opportunity tonight and did what I could.”

Miami outscored the Magic by 26 points with Ware on the court. 

Saturday marked only the third time this season Ware has played double-digit minutes. 

Ware saw extended action with Kevin Love out for personal reasons. The No. 15 pick spent the past month in the G League, earning the reps he’d struggled to receive behind Love and Bam Adebayo. 

“That’s what I’ve been doing this whole time,” Ware said. “Off the court, every day in the gym getting stronger. Just getting prepared for moments like this.”

HERRO EARNS 2K RATINGS INCREASE

Heat guard Tyler Herro received an early Christmas present courtesy of the NBA 2K ratings staff. 

NBA 2K25 announced its latest ratings update Dec. 19. Herro went up one point, going from an 86 overall to an 87. He and Bam Adebayo are the Heat’s second highest-ranked players, one point behind Jimmy Butler. 

Herro joined veteran guard Duncan Robinson as Heat players who earned a ratings increase. Robinson’s two-point increase makes him a 78 overall and the Heat’s fourth-best player.

Veteran guard Terry Rozier and forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. each dropped one point to 77 overall.

HEAT SNAP INCREDIBLE STREAK IN LOSS

Miami entered the fourth quarter Saturday night leading 106-84. They ended the fourth quarter with a crushing 121-114 loss to the injury-decimated Magic. 

“These are tough, tough-ass lessons to complete a game,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. 

The Associated Press reported teams with at least a 22-point lead entering the fourth quarter were 796-0 since Dec. 22, 2019. 

Teams are now 796-1 in that span. 

MORE HEAT NEWS

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Heat’s Jimmy Butler Faces ‘Nonexistent’ Free Agent Market, Predicts NBA Insider

Jake Elman works as a contributing writer to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jakeelman97@gmail.com or follow him on X @JakeElman97.

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Jake Elman
JAKE ELMAN

Jake Elman is a veteran sports journalist and graduate of Florida Atlantic University’s journalism program. In recent years, he has covered the NFL for EndGame360 and served as the sports content lead for ExpressVPN. He also covered the Lane Kiffin years at FAU for the Palm Beach Post.