Without the developmental strides that Kel'el Ware has made this season, it's hard to imagine where the positives would come from the Miami Heat at this point. In many ways, Ware's breakout play this season is the gift that keeps on giving for the Heat.
Ware continued his excellent recent play with another season-best performance in which he finished with 28 points, 19 rebounds, and five made 3-pointers. The Heat may have ultimately lost against the New York Knicks, but Ware continued to look dominant in his minutes, and it's certainly something the team can start hanging its hat on.
Again, it's never a good thing when teams are rallying solely around individual performances, but isn't that what this season was always about for Miami?
Kel'el Ware has been the lone bright spot for the Heat
Sure, the Heat's fast start to the season may have altered expectations for this team, but entering this year, it was always considered a developmental gap season. That's why what we're seeing from Ware should be something the team finds contentment in.
The Heat would probably never admit it, but Ware has been arguably one of the lone bright spots for the team. I suppose the play of Norman Powell and Jaime Jaquez Jr. could be thrown in that conversation as well, but Ware is vaulting himself into one of the best centers in the league.
And that has to be a huge development for the Heat.
What's even more encouraging for the Heat is that Ware could just be getting started. He's starting to look more and more comfortable with every passing game, especially as Erik Spoelstra begins to give him more and more leeway.
And that is evidenced by how Ware has looked over his last three games.
Since being reinserted in the starting 5 (over the Heat's last three games), Ware is averaging 25 points, 15 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on 71 percent shooting from the floor. What makes it even more impressive is the fact that Ware is 12-16 from 3-point range.
For a center, those numbers are unheardof. The fact that he's been this good for the Heat of late is something that the team should feel really good about heading into the rest of the season.
But even despite his play of late, it's hard to label exactly what Ware is or what he can be in the future. He's still elevating as a player and his ceiling (because of his excellent skill set) is pretty limitless.
He's quickly emerging as a blue-chip prospect for the Heat and is the revelation that the team should be thankful for this season.