The Miami Heat continued their winning ways with a 120-94 victory over the Washington Wizards Monday night at Capital One Arena. After appearing to be done for good, Miami continues to flip the script and has now won five straight games.
There were many notable performances with Bam Adebayo being at the top of the list for the best outing of the night. But the player who should be given a spotlight is rookie Pelle Larsson, who started in his second consecutive game and is showing the impact he can make on a nightly basis.
Pelle Larsson continues to impress.
A lot has been going right for the Heat during this winning streak. Granted, Miami has not played top-tier competition, but this team also just came off a 10-game losing streak. With the team flowing on both ends of the court, the newest development has been Pelle Larsson emerging as a high-quality role player.
Larsson isn't going to wow anyone with elite scoring prowess or wicked playmaking, but what's so impressive is that he is playing his role to a tee and is playing almost perfect basketball.
On offense, whether it's setting a screen or cutting to the basket, Larsson is constantly on the move. It's rare to find him standing around for multiple possessions. A great example is the play below where he sets a screen for Tyler Herro and sets up an easy backdoor layup.
A second play that highlights doing the small things occurred in the third quarter. With the Heat on a fastbreak and the Wizards ball watching, instead of spotting up for a corner three, Larsson ran the baseline and found himself at the basket for a layup.
Larsson also made the most of his opportunities with the ball in his hands. His high motor has caused havoc defensively and was displayed Saturday night against the Philadelphia 76ers with four steals and two blocks. Larsson only had one steal in this one that led to a fastbreak basket, but beyond the counting stats, Larsson is showing a knack for being in the right place at the right time.
Larsson perfectly fits the Heat's mold. If his play continues, he needs to be in the rotation for the remainder of the season -- and in the future.
