MIAMI – There were moments early during Monday night’s overtime victory over the Cavaliers where it very much felt like a here-we-go-again moment with Heat center Kel’el Ware, with Cleveland center Jarrett Allen dominating, just as he did in last season’s playoff blowout of the Heat.
At the end of the first period, it was Allen with eight points, Ware with none; Allen 4 of 5 from the field, Ware 0 for 4.
And then, in a been-waiting-for-this moment, it was as if Ware said enough was enough.
For the balance of the night, it was Ware who stood tallest between the game’s 7-footers – and it wasn’t particularly close, Ware at one point converting seven consecutive shots.
To Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, this wasn’t about Ware matching Allen’s 14 points, or even outrebounding him 20-7. This was about Ware taking and making a stand, trusted, unlike Allen, in late-game moments of truth.
“Kel’el played his best game – impactful plays at key moments,” Spoelstra said, with the teams meeting again Wednesday night back at Kaseya Center. “That’s the best game he’s played in a Miami Heat uniform.
“I don’t care what the stats are. I know he had 20 rebounds. But those efforts on the glass were incredible. And he was reliable defensively. He was with it. He was in the right spots.”
Amid a tough love season between coach and player, this was Ware warming to the moment and Spoelstra thawing the critique.
“Winning plays,” Spoelstra said. “So your young guys can improve. It’s not always going to be linear.”
In the wake of his first career 20-rebound game, Ware said last season’s playoff schooling by Allen very much was on his mind.
“Just remembering what happened last year, I just took it as motivation to through the summer and for this season to battle, do my job and get rebounds,” he said. “It’s my job to go out there and get rebounds to show the progress that I made over the summer. So just going out there and I’m going to continue to do that every game.”
In recording his second double-double of the season, Ware posted the 57th 20-rebound game in the franchise’s 38 seasons and the Heat’s first since Bam Adebayo did it last December in Toronto.
Rony Seikaly is the franchise’s all-time leader with 21 20-rebound games, with Hassan Whiteside second with 20 such games.
Adebayo out
The Heat confirmed at Tuesday’s practice that Adebayo on Wednesday will miss his fourth consecutive game with the toe sprain suffered during the first quarter of last week’s road loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Adebayo went through drill work with the training staff Tuesday, working in sneakers and out of his walking boot.
Related Articles
Play of the year? How Heat pulled off miraculous OT stunner vs. Cavs
ASK IRA: Is Spoelstra weaving success through Heat’s tapestry of talent?
Winderman’s view: These Heat won’t back down, as Cavs learned Monday night
No lack of drama this time vs. Cavs, with Heat’s Wiggins for the win at buzzer in 140-138 OT thriller
Heat’s Herro learned to draw fouls, now he’s drawing Jaquez into the hunt
In addition, guard Tyler Herro again did shooting work on the side, but has yet to return to practice since his September ankle surgery.
At the time of that Sept. 19 procedure, the Heat announced, “Herro is expected to miss around eight weeks.” The eight-week mark is Friday, when the Heat play the Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
No Butler broadcast
The Heat’s home game next week against Jimmy Butler and the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday was removed Tuesday from ESPN’s Nov. 19 schedule, in favor of Houston Rockets at Cleveland.
Because of the switch, the listed start time of 7 p.m. has been changed to the Heat’s normal 7:30 p.m. weeknight tipoff at Kaseya Center, still to be televised in South Florida on FanDuel Sports Network Sun.
The game had been the lone ESPN broadcast this season on the Heat schedule.
Here’s why
So why was Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson ejected with 32 seconds left in the third period Monday night? Apparently because he reached his breaking point when the Heat took 21 free throws in that quarter to four for Cleveland.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever seen that in all my years in the NBA, 21 to four, ” Atkinson said. “So, I let them know that I wasn’t pleased with that. They tossed me for it, but I’ll stick with my protest.
“And I felt like I had to stick up for my team when it’s 21 to 4. When the disparity is that great, you’ve got to stick up for your guys.”
