The Miami Heat found plenty to like in their first win, and the obvious answers will be the ones that get talked about most. Erik Spoelstra adjusted.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo helped get the offense moving. Andrew Wiggins flashed on both ends.
Tim Hardaway Jr. finally looked comfortable handling the ball.
But the biggest reason Miami’s offense came alive may have been Pelle Larsson.
Larsson’s versatility gave the Heat a different kind of rhythm, and it may have pointed them toward their most dangerous version on that end of the floor. If he can keep producing like this, Miami suddenly has another way to bend a defense.
He finished with 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, going 6-for-12 from the field and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. The scoring matters, but the passing was the real jolt.
Spoelstra pointed directly to the way Larsson opened things up.
"Pelle gave us some great options to run some P&Rs for him with either Giannis or Bam. He's really improved his decision making and I really credit the last two summers with his national team"
That kind of secondary creation was exactly what Miami needed. Larsson was useful whether he was working off Davion Mitchell as a second action or running pick-and-roll with Bam or Giannis. He gave the Heat something they had not really had through the first four games: another player who could make the next read and keep the offense flowing.
Spoelstra also deserves credit for expanding the playbook and leaning into more pick-and-roll action. But Larsson mattered just as much because he put himself in the right spots to take advantage of it.
The result was hard to miss. Miami not only posted its highest point total of the season so far, it looked loose and connected while doing it.
This was not necessarily a demand to turn Larsson into a full-time point guard, even though the Heat did experiment with that idea in the preseason. What it does show is that Spoelstra has another option when the offense stalls. That’s the value Larsson brings off the bench: he can do a little of everything, and that makes him hard to take off the floor.
For a team with some playmaking questions, that matters. If Larsson can handle a larger share of the ball when needed, it gives Miami a little more security and a lot more flexibility.
No one should expect the Heat to suddenly walk away from their read-and-react, high-tempo identity after one game. But against the Hawks, the shift toward more pick-and-roll work gave the offense a different look, and it worked.
More than anything, it may have revealed a path to Miami’s best offensive self, with Pelle Larsson right in the middle of it.
In Other News...
Tyler Herro Just Reopened A Heat Debate Fans Wanted Gone
Tyler Herros strong start in Milwaukee has done more than give his new team its first win of the season. It has also nudged an old Heat conversation back into view, especially as Miami stumbled to 0-4 out of the gate. Herro delivered a near triple-double in the Bucks breakthrough, and the timing has only sharpened the contrast for a fan base still sorting through what his departure meant.
Austin Herro added another layer by posting a cryptic message on social media that appeared aimed at Heat fans, which was enough to stir the pot on a sore subject. There has also been talk this offseason of a physical altercation between Tyler Herro and former teammate Bam Adebayo, while Adebayo has drawn criticism for his slow start. For Miami, it is one more reminder that the aftermath of the Herro chapter is still very much alive. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Finally Showed A Look Miami Fans Have Been Waiting For
After a rough stretch, the Heat got a much-needed reset in Atlanta with a 129-117 win that stopped the skid and gave Miami something it had been missing for much of the early season: a cleaner, more connected offensive look. The ball moved better, the floor opened up more naturally, and the pick-and-roll finally looked like a reliable source of pressure rather than a possession-killer.
Giannis Antetokounmpo powered the effort with 24 points and 18 rebounds, while Bam Adebayo made his own mark by setting the franchises all-time career rebounding record. For a team that has spent so much time searching for rhythm, the bigger question now is whether this was a one-night fix or the start of something more sustainable as the schedule turns. [Read more 🡒]
Klay Thompsons Slump Is Testing Miamis Starting Five
Klay Thompsons early-season shooting funk has quickly become more than a side note for the Heat, because Miami did not bring him in to be a passenger in the offense. As the new season gets rolling, the team is looking at how Thompson fits alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo in the starting group, and that evaluation is happening in real time with upcoming games offering another chance to sort it out.
For Thompson, the next stretch carries obvious weight. He has about a two-month window before he becomes trade-eligible, and that gives him time to steady his three-point shot and firm up his place in Miamis rotation. The Heat do not need him to solve everything, but they do need to know whether the version of Thompson they envisioned is going to show up soon. [Read more 🡒]