MIAMI—Though the Miami Heat lost to the Portland Trail Blazers devastatingly on Tuesday night, 116-107, the one bright spot came from rookie Kel’el Ware. The long-awaited duo of the Heat’s first-round pick and Bam Adebayo is coming off a game in which they excelled against the Spurs.

After a productive run with the Heat, rookie Kel'el Ware is beginning to showcase why the organization selected him with the 15th pick in the draft.

That’s because Heat coach Erik Spoelstra played three-time NBA All-Star center Bam Adebayo and rookie center Kel’el Ware together for an extended stretch for the first time during Sunday’s 128-107 home win over the San Antonio Spurs ... and the double-big combination looked better than anybody could have imagined.

After the Heat beat the Spurs, Erik Spoelstra speaks on the Bam Adebayo-Kel'el Ware pairing.

Playing in a larger role, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was encouraged by what he saw from rookie Kel'el Ware to help spark a win over the Spurs.

Miami Heat center Kel`el Ware is making huge improvements in his first season. Coach Erik Spoelstra said it's more from a standpoint outside of basketball. Ware is putting in work behind the scenes. "It's not just what's going on,

To continue on with the lineup change, Spoelstra would trot out Ware to start the second half along with Adebayo, Butler, Robinson, and Herro. It led to nothing but exceptional play from Miami as when Ware eventually was subbed out by Nikola Jovic, the Heat outscored the Spurs 36-13 when the rookie big-man and Adebayo were on the floor together.