MIAMI – As the buzz around the Miami Heat is that Bam Adebayo scored a historic 83 points against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday, there are a lot of positives to take away as the team enters Saturday on a seven-game winning streak. The Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday after Adebayo scored 83 points, with second-year guard Pelle Larsson leading the team on a career night.
Spoelstra said before the game that after Adebayo scored 83 points, that type of outing is likely to motivate the players in the locker room to step up. What Larsson did on Thursday is really impressing all season long, being a mainstay in the starting lineup as Saturday marks his 44th chance to start a game against the Magic.
On Thursday against the Bucks, Larsson scored a career-high 28 points on nine of 14 from the field, two of three from deep, six rebounds and six assists. He even hit the three that put Milwaukee out of the game, which shows how "reliable" he is, as Erik Spoelstra reiterated.
"He's gaining more trust and confidence as the season goes on. Now. He's been really reliable from day one. There was a huge leap of improvement last year," Spoelstra told ClutchPoints. “I would say the last six weeks of the season, and then going into the summer, led them to have a great training camp in the preseason.”
“And then from there, you know, he just kept forcing us to play him,” Spoelstra continued. "You know, he's coming off the bench or starting. It doesn't matter. He's just got to be on the court because he does a lot of winning things. And then, you know, his work ethic is also helping him improve his offensive skill set, which he saw the other night. And then now, you know, that's the last element of getting a lot of confidence from the game and playing well."
Asked Erik Spoelstra about Pelle Larsson and whether he was a surprise to see his jump in Year 2.
"He's been really reliable from day one, with a big leap in improvement in the last six weeks of the season last year..." #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/zdQBwUJWno
- Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 14 March 2026
Heat's Pelle Larsson talks career night after Bam Adebayo's special game
While the Heat were dealing with an emotional night in which Adebayo made history Tuesday by recording 83 points, the second-highest scoring game in NBA history, the next game on Thursday could have been a trap game. This could have been a frustrating game for Miami as their emotional batteries were not recharged, but it was Larsson who led the team to an eventual victory.
Larsson excelled with his physical ability in creating driving lanes and gaining advantages at the rim, even showcasing his playmaking ability and being active on both sides of the ball. The leap from a dependable player to a former second-round pick has been fun for fans, however Thursday had a different feeling as the 25-year-old entered clutchpoints.
“Yeah, it's weird, because, like, what we experienced was so out of the ordinary that it was hard to get out of it, the dream, kind of say,” Larson said, referencing Adebayo's 83-point game. “But very quickly we got into the game, at full speed, at full speed, and then it was easier to play hard and then try to win.”
Pelle Larsson was asked about being one of the players moving forward after Bam Adebayo's 83-point night, tying for his career night.
"It's a bit strange because what we experienced was so different from the norm that it was difficult to get over it..." #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/BEzfIl9VmN
- Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026
Heat's Bam Adebayo yells out to teammates at a game after 83-point night
While Larsson led the way for Miami on Thursday, rookie and 19-year-old Kasparus Jacusionis were the other beneficiaries, continuing to show flashes as he scored 18 points on six of 12 shooting from the field, five of 11 from deep, to go with seven rebounds. Adebayo will praise two young players for stepping up.
"Man, I'm thankful for my guys," Adebayo said after the win over the Bucks. He recorded 21 points and eight rebounds after an 83-point night. “They stepped up massively, especially Pell [Larsson]especially kas [Jakucionis]. They were aggressive, and they were being vocal. They're open, they're shooting it, or they're running it; They're making the right plays."
"That's the thing about our offense. Anybody can cook it. And, you know, tonight it was like Pell and Cass and me in the fourth, I turned it on. But that's the thing about our offense, man. It's one of those things, like, you go to jail by sharing the ball, and it makes it harder for the other team," Adebayo continued.
Bam Adebayo was asked about his 83-point performance, which led Pelle Larsson and Kaspars Jaksionis:
"Man, I'm grateful to my guys. They stepped up in a big way, especially Pele, especially Kass. They were aggressive and they were being vocal..." #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/0LAukBgnIa
- Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) 13 March 2026
At any rate, the Heat are expecting massive contributions from Larsson and others as the team heads into the home stretch of the season.
