Pelle Larsson is too good to be shelved

Naturally, Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s ascending role as a do-it-all switchblade on the team ensures that he is one of the background players getting the most recognition, but another has also stood out, and his contributions can’t be shelved in the future. Pelle Larsson has made himself indispensable to the Miami Heat as a connector on offense and a pest on the other side. He made the right reads in transition plus the half-court and nailed two 3-pointers in Monday's win against the New York Knicks. 

His 13 points were the fifth time he’s scored in double figures in the last six games. His best stretch was in the second half as he raised his intensity on defense, including forcing a charge on Karl-Anthony Towns late in the fourth quarter of a close game, and he downed a cutting basket and a deep jumper.  

Tyler Herro’s absence opened up the opportunity for Larsson to get minutes, and he’s been used more since Bam Adebayo hurt his big toe in Denver. The second-year Swede is logging 21.5 minutes per game, the eighth-most on the team, and he’ll need the same amount of burn when Herro and Adebayo return. Perhaps the best compliment he can get is that coach Erik Spoelstra is comfortable using him as one of his five late in the game. Larsson took his final rest as the Heat held a seven-point lead with two minutes left.

One of his better traits is that he doesn’t really turn over the ball, putting up a 2.25 assist-to-turnover ratio. The other is that he’s a highly efficient off-ball player, making 70.5 percent of his two-point attempts. His skill set fits every lineup, and he’s powerfully built, which makes him a good guard screener and gives him extra armor so he doesn’t get manhandled on defense. 

Consider this: Larsson doesn’t have nearly the flash that Nikola Jović brings, but he is way more impactful. He makes fewer mistakes and doesn't miss much at close range. 

Some of his last public comments were after the Heat’s win over the Charlotte Hornets in Emirates Cup play on Nov. 7. When asked about what was easier starting than coming off the bench, he said, “I’m just playing more minutes."  

Larsson went from being mostly outside the rotation last year to a current mainstay. The Heat have done it again: that obscure name they did their homework on has panned out as a contributor they can't be without. 

Miami Heat need to keep defending when it matters

Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo provide updates on their returns

The Miami Heat have the NBA's most impactful offseason acquistion