Meet the Heat's new sparkplug earning dazzling reviews from Tyler Herro, Erik Spoelstra

03/13/2025 02:53 PM

MIAMI – Even though the Miami Heat dropped their fifth game in a row to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night, 119-104, there was one bright spot that stood out from the rest. As the Heat’s rookie Pelle Larsson has been trying to prove himself as a nightly rotational piece, he showed that Wednesday as he garnered the attention of star Tyler Herro and head coach Erik Spoelstra.

While the loss at the hands of Los Angeles was frustrating, there were multiple points in the game where Miami tried to make a run and gain some momentum. Larsson was a huge reason for that as he made an energizing play with seven minutes and change in the second period where he dived for a ball at half court, fighting with multiple Clippers players for possession as he got it, passed it to Terry Rozier for a three-point shot.

After the make, the Kaseya Center erupted and was arguably the loudest it was all game as Larsson would end up playing 28 minutes, finishing with 10 points and three steals. Herro would say after the game that the “we need more guys like that” in regards to Larsson.

“I mean, we need more guys like that, obviously,” Herro said. “You know, everyone felt Pelle tonight, you know, with his inspiration on just hustle plays and defensively, you know, being everywhere. I mean, that’s what we need. We can get all five guys playing like that, obviously, that’ll help, but we just got to continue to fight, you know, give more and more and more to each other and the team.”

Tyler Herro on Pelle Larsson.

"We need more guys like that obviously, everyone felt Pelle tonight with his inspiration on hustle plays…if we can get all five guys playing like that, that'll help, but we just gotta continue to fight…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/JyD9PFYpir

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 13, 2025

Heat’s Erik Spoelstra on “one of the best plays I’ve seen”

As the Heat look to get back to their fearless nature, Larsson’s play hopefully can inspire the rest of the team to play inspired and give them the spark they so desperately need. The Miami head coach in Spoelstra would say to CluchPoints that the aforementioned play at half court was “one of the best plays I’ve seen” and he had seen this energy for the last few games.

“The idea was just to give us a spark. We needed something to get us going,” Spoelstra said. “I wasn’t even necessarily expecting that. I’ve been feeling it for a couple games in spot minutes…he’s mentally stable enough to handle that, you know, three or four minutes and then come out and get your regular guys in there. But while those three or four minutes happen, he may make some things happen. And he certainly did that tonight with his toughness, his activity, that play at half court is one of the best plays I’ve seen.”

“You feel like those plays then can inspire a whole lot more,” Spoelstra continued. “That’s what we’re accustomed to. Tonight is different than some of these other nights. We’ve been getting a lot of inspiring play, we just haven't been able to finish.”

Asked Erik Spoelstra about Pelle Larsson's impact tonight despite the L. Called that play at half court "one of the best."

"The idea was to give us a spark…I've been feeling it for a couple of games, in short minutes he's mentally stable enough to handle that…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/76n6gI7DBe

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 13, 2025

Heat’s Andrew Wiggins calls Pelle Larsson’s energy “contagious”

Someone who spoke about Larsson’s “contagious” energy was Heat newcomer Andrew Wiggins, who’s looking to get more comfortable every game.

“It was a huge, huge spark,” Wiggins said. “We needed every second that he was on the court. When he was on the court, his energy is contagious with how hard he plays, the way he plays. He gives it his all, played great tonight. Gave us a lot of great things.”

Andrew Wiggins on Pelle Larsson's "huge" impact and the "contagious energy" he has. #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/vfMgPu6nov

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 13, 2025

The 24-year-old spoke about the energy he brought and mentioned how that’s always the goal coming off the bench. Talking about that exciting hustle play, he said it “haunted” him when he missed out on one earlier in the season in Philadelphia and finally had the chance to redeem himself.

Pelle Larsson on the exciting play at half court. Would mention how he didn't dive on a ball in Philly earlier and it "haunted" him so he got that play back.

"Should've just called timeout, would've been a lot easier…" #HeatNationpic.twitter.com/aWoEorxOgL

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) March 13, 2025

Larsson looks to be more of a factor for the Heat as the team is 29-36 which puts them ninth in the Eastern Conference with their next game against the Boston Celtics.

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