NEW ORLEANS — When it comes to Erik Spoelstra utilization of his biggest lineup, the one pairing Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware, it isn’t as much about it running hot and cold as it is simply about having the spigot on.

So Monday night, a night after partnered dominance by the two in the blowout road victory over the disinterred Washington Wizards, the two started together for the first time since the Jan. 6 road loss to Minnesota Timberwolves.

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It did not go well, with the Heat losing 115-111 to the tanking Utah Jazz.

And it did not last long, with Ware fouling out 65 seconds into the fourth quarter.

It was an opportunity Ware had been pining for, one he did not seize.

“That’s part of the learning, is learning how to do things with technique and not get the hands in there, which has been an issue versus the aggressive players,” Spoelstra said of Ware’s foul trouble, with Ware’s fifth foul coming just 17 seconds into the decisive fourth quarter.

Then there was the Jazz’s dominance on the glass, with Utah closing with a 58-43 rebounding advantage, including 16 by Jusuf Nurkic, one fewer than the combined total of Adebayo (11) and Ware (6).

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“The rebounding, that’s the challenge I’ve said about that double-big lineup,” Spoelstra said. “It’s got to be a great rebounding lineup. But we’re a better rebounding team when we don’t go double-big. And that’s frustrating.

“But it will change. They both want to make that work, and we work on it constantly with Kel’el.”

Because of Ware’s foul trouble, Ware and Adebayo shared the court for only nine total minutes, despite both starting. It was the 20th time they had started together this season.

Through it all, Adebayo did close with a 23-point, 11-rebound double-double, albeit with much of that damage done after the Jazz sat defensive-minded big man Jaren Jackson Jr. for the night in the third quarter, prioritizing their lottery odds.

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With the double-double, Adebayo became the first player in franchise history with at least 250 over his career. He now has recorded at least 20 double-doubles in each of the past seven seasons.

Out again

As was the case in Monday night’s loss, the Heat again will be without Norman Powell, Pelle Larsson and Tyler Herro when they face the Pelicans.

Powell will miss his second consecutive game with back tightness, but still is expected to go ahead with planned appearances in Saturday’s 3-point contest and Sunday’s All-Star Game at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles.

Larsson is missing his third consecutive game with a forearm strain.

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Herro will miss his 15th consecutive game with a rib issue.

Spoelstra offered little clarity before Monday night’s game when it came to Herro’s ongoing absence.

“I don’t have a timeline,” Spoelstra said, “but I can tell you he is making progress and he’s doing what he needs to do behind the scenes. And we’ll just continue to treat him.”

Still away from the team are Keshad Johnson and Vlad Goldin on G League assignment, with Terry Rozier remaining away from the team due to the ongoing FBI gambling probe.

In addition, Andrew Wiggins is listed as questionable with toe inflammation.

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On a roll

When rookie Kasparas Jakucionis extended his streak of consecutive 3-point conversions over two games to nine on Monday, it made him just the third Heat player since the start of 1996-97 to convert nine in a row, joining Chris Bosh (Oct. 2015) and Goran Dragic (Feb. 2017)

At 6 of 6 on 3-pointers Sunday in Washington and 6 of 10 in Monday night’s loss to the Jazz, last June’s No. 20 pick out of Illinois became the first Heat player with consecutive games with at least six since Rozier on April 2-April 4 2024.

On Sunday. Jakucionis became only the fifth player in franchise history (and first rookie) to make at least six threes without a miss. He joined Quentin Richardson (7 of 7, Dec. 20, 2009), Sasha Danilovic (7 of 7, Dec. 3, 1996), Tim Hardaway (6 of 6, Dec. 4, 1996) and Mike Miller (6 of 6, Jan. 17, 2012).

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Eventually the trust was there to the degree that the call and ball went to Jakucionis for a potential go-ahead 3-pointer with 7.2 seconds to play on Monday night.

“Yeah, it means a lot,” the 19-year-old said of having such trust at a moment of truth. “I got a pretty open shot, I would say. I had to make it, didn’t happen.

“But it means a lot.”