Pelle Larsson continues to show out after returning from injury

Pelle Larsson has given the Miami Heat a helping hand ever since returning from his five-game absence after suffering an ankle injury. During that brief stint, the Heat went 1-4, losing to the Toronto Raptors twice, the Boston Celtics, and the New York Knicks. Their only win was against the Brooklyn Nets, who have one of the worst records in the league.

Pelle Larsson's impact as a starter

However, the Heat has won its last two games with Larsson back in the lineup. In fact, he returned as a starter in place of star player Bam Adebayo, who’s out with a sore lower back. During their first game against the Atlanta Hawks, Larsson finished the game scoring the second most points for the Heat with 21 points, shooting 3-4 from the three-point line. He also grabbed 6 rebounds and had 5 assists. The Heat would go on to beat the Hawks 126-111.

The following game was the second leg of a back-to-back, where the Heat went up against a depleted Indiana Pacers. Despite the absence of star players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, the Heat needed the help of their role players to step up, and Pelle Larsson delivered. He would finish the game with 16 points, 4 rebounds, and an impressive 7 assists. 

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He played an essential role during the 4th quarter as the Heat outscored the Pacers 44-22 after being close for the first three quarters. In the end, they would dominate the Pacers 142-116, seemingly reverting to the hot scoring run they had earlier in the season. As long as key players in the Heat are out, Pelle Larsson’s production will be key to the Heat’s success, so expect more from him going forward, especially with their next matchup with the Denver Nuggets.