Kel'el Ware: season-high 24 points vs Celtics (Dec 19, 2025)
24 PTS · 8-of-12 FG · 6-of-7 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 27:36 MIN
Usual before this game: 11.5 PTS · 8.2 FGA · 24.2 MIN, from 27 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 28 games this season: 26.3 against a usual 12.2 (+14.1)
Season-high 24 points (previous high 22, set on Dec 3, 2025 and Dec 18, 2025)
above usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did Kel'el Ware score 24 points?
Kel'el Ware scored 24 points against the Celtics on Dec 19, 2025 in 27:36: 8-of-12 from the field (66.7%), 6-of-7 from three (85.7%), 2-of-2 on free throws. Before this game, Ware averaged 11.5 points on 8.2 shots in 24.2 minutes across 27 regular-season games. The previous high this season was 22 points. By Game Score it was the best of 28 games this season. The shot count was 12, against a usual 8.2. The 66.7% from the field compares with a usual 54.3%. By shot type: threes 18 points (usual 2.8); two-pointers 4 points (usual 7.0). Ware played 27:36 against a usual 24.2 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 34.3, against a usual 18.2. The Heat lost 129-116 at the Celtics. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Ware in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (27 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 27:36 | 24.2 | +3.4 |
| Points | 24 | 11.5 | +12.5 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 12 · 66.7% | 8.2 · 54.3% | +3.8 · +12.4 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 7 · 85.7% | 2.3 · 41.0% | +4.7 · +44.7 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 2.0 · 83.3% | 0.0 |
| Rebounds | 14 | 10.3 | +3.7 |
| Assists | 2 | 0.6 | +1.4 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1.1 | -1.1 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 27 games | 17.8 | 17.2 | +0.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 34.3 | 18.2 | +16.1 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (27 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 18 (6-of-7) | 2.8 (0.9-of-2.3) | +15.2 |
| Twos | 4 (2-of-5) | 7.0 (3.5-of-5.9) | -3.0 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 1.7 (1.7-of-2.0) | +0.3 |
| Total | 24 | 11.5 | +12.5 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
26.3 against a usual 12.2 (+14.1)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +11.4 |
| Rebounds | +1.9 |
| Assists | +1.0 |
| Steals and blocks | -1.2 |
| Turnovers and fouls | +1.0 |
| Total | +14.1 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 28 games this season.
Previous best: 25.0, set on Dec 18, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Heat lost 129-116 at the Celtics.
- No earlier regular-season meetings with the Celtics this season.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.