Shai Gilgeous-Alexander match-ups, the Kel'el Ware saga and more keys to Heat-Thunder

After facing off with the Oklahoma City Thunder less than a week ago, the Miami Heat will be matching up with them yet again on Saturday night at home at the Kaseya Center.

Miami was without Norman Powell in their last battle, and now the Heat find themselves without the bench scoring of Jaime Jaquez Jr and the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defending in Davion Mitchell.

The Heat shot over 50% from three in their first match-up while the Thunder shot less than 30% from deep. Yet, OKC won that game by double digits.

So what will it take to overcome this team? Let's get into some keys:

1. The battle to find consistency.

Jan 11, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) reacts after a play against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Even forgetting those surprising three point numbers in the first game, the Heat played a near perfect game in that first half. Offense flowed, shots were falling, and they led by 5 points at halftime. The third quarter massacre commenced after being outscored 39-26. Even looking at a game ago against the Boston Celtics, where the Heat's early dominance made it appear the game was in the bag, before a late comeback and horrible loss. The key here is that if you're not consistent against this OKC group, you don't stand a chance. This is one of the few match-ups where "48 minute basketball" is no longer a cliche. The defense and shooting pockets can't be quarterly. It has to be a constant, and disciplined, effort.

2. The Kel'el Ware saga.

Jan 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) looks on before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Erik Spoelstra went in on Kel'el Ware post-game last game, after not logging any minutes in the second half as his playing time has slowly been deteriorating over the last few weeks. He called that Boston match-up a bad one for him, and discussed him heading in the wrong direction at the moment. The reason I bring this up as a key is because, similarly, this OKC match-up isn't the greatest for him in that same regard. Perimeter scoring and quickness across the board doesn't do wonders for him on paper. But can he prove his impact in short spurts? One of the hardest things to do in the NBA is be effective in small dosages of minutes at a time, but that's where Ware finds himself right now. Just go be the dominant force many know he can be.

3. Andrew Wiggins and Pelle Larsson: you are needed.

Jan 11, 2026; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket around Miami Heat forward Nikola Jović (5) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

As mentioned earlier with no Davion Mitchell, it makes the defensive strategy even tougher. Pelle Larsson got the start in the last game, and I'd expect that to stick. Larsson and Andrew Wiggins are going to have their hands full with dealing with Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams. The Heat did a lot of switching against Boston that worked for long stretches, but this isn't Boston. These are legit iso attackers that won't stop until they find the right defensive match-ups such as Tyler Herro or Norman Powell. So expect Larsson and Wiggins to be doing a lot of heavy lifting on the perimeter to fight through screens and stay attached. It's a massive scouting report key tonight.