MIAMI – With the Miami Heat beating the Indiana Pacers in the first NBA Cup group play game on Friday night, 145-125, the team is finally starting to head in the right direction with two straight wins after the 0-4 start. As the partnership between Heat stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo has reached new strides in the last two games, both would shout out this key player off the bench for his recent performance.

While the Heat's win over Indiana featured Antetokounmpo recording his second triple-double with Miami, logging 31 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists, while Adebayo recorded 27 points and nine rebounds, others excelled as well. Aside from Klay Thompson's 25 points and Davion Mitchell's 15 points and 11 assists, Pelle Larsson has been critical to the Heat's success.

In Miami's first win on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks, Larsson was important in facilitating the ball and playmaking in the pick-and-roll with Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, having eight assists. After Friday's win, Antetokounmpo would say Larsson is “one of the smartest players on the team.”

“He's gonna get to his spot. We give him space to operate, and when he gets stuck, his footwork is so elite that he's gonna find the open man so you can cut, you can find the open space, and he's going to leave you the ball, and that's what I try to do,” Antetokounmpo said. “I try to play off him because I know there's going to be times that he's going to give me the ball.”

Giannis on what he’s seen from Pelle Larsson: #Heat

“He’s one of the smartest players on the team…” pic.twitter.com/L3QnZh3fcg

— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 31, 2026

Heat's Bam Adebayo says Pelle Larsson is playing with a “clear mind”

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Currently in his third season, Larsson blossomed last season as a physical force on either side of the ball, and has been adding to his game with his play on the ball.

“To me, it's like watching his game grow, but like him being efficient…He's very comfortable where he is right now in his mind,” Adebayo said. “There's no clutter, and you see it.”

At any rate, Larsson finished Friday's game with 18 points, three assists, and three rebounds as he looks to keep it going on Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers.