Miami Heat were embarrassed by Yuki Kawamura and the Chicago Bulls on Saturday and their fans think it was a game that they should have won if only Erik Spoelstra made the right decision about Kel’el Ware who has played just six games in their last 10 and broke into double digit scoring just twice.
Heat entered the game without three main players – Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, and Norman Powell who is their current top scorer. Bulls were just as fractured as they did not have Josh Giddey, Coby White and two big men Jalen Smith and Nikola Vucevic.
Smith and Vooch being out, fans thought, would have made things life easy for the Heat. However, Spoelstra played him just three minutes. The sophomore center finished with 2 points, 1 rebound, and 1 assists.
Bulls had a field day at the rim during the game with Ayo Dosonmu, Isaac Ikoro, and Matas Buzelis combining for 70 points.
As for the Heat, Bam Adebayo’s 21-11 went into waste.
This is not the first time that Ware was benched by Spoelstra. The two has been in the middle of love-hate relationship regarding the impact of Ware. Spo criticized his empty stats before, his decision to take threes, effort, and more.
Ware is yet to break double digit rebounding since January 6. He was asked about his minutes two days and said that he is just being patient.
Kel’el Ware decision blasted by fans
Fans hated that this was the decision.
Spo played Kel’el Ware 3 minutes in the first half of a game where the Heat are missing Herro, Norm & Davion, but Heat fans will blame Pat Riley when the Giannis trade doesn’t happen 🥴 pic.twitter.com/5gKKfsjtD0
— K E V I N ⭑⭒⭒⭒⭒ (@KevChestnut) February 1, 2026
Oh yeah let’s keep Kel’el Ware benched while Nikola Jovic gets to be horrible with no consequences.
Spo is literally sabotaging this team. pic.twitter.com/HJnilXricW
— 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) February 1, 2026
Spo single handily ruining ware trade value lmao https://t.co/GLgIvDvMjK
— KEE⚡️ (@playoffkee_) February 1, 2026
The thing w Spo vs Ware is that it’s such a messy handling of a young guy. Yeah he has flaws, but so do other guys Spo has let work thru it.
The locker room doesn’t have a UD/Jimmy (yeah I said it) to call him out & not be afraid of consequences.
— Des (@lifeofdes06) February 1, 2026
Kel’el Ware plays a mini bad stretch and he’s immediately pulled out never to be seen again
Niko Jovic can constantly play terrible and cost the Heat their leads yet he’s free to make as many mistakes as possible.
It doesn’t make sense & doesn’t seem fair.
— Naveen Ganglani (@naveenganglani) February 1, 2026
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