Story byIra Winderman, South Florida Sun-SentinelWed, January 21, 2026 at 5:35 AM UTC·3 min readObservations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 130-117 victory over the Sacramento Kings:– There’s something about Pelle Larsson.– There just is.– It’s not just sticking his nose in there. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– It’s adding a degree of toughness and pushback in a Heat season that could use some toughness and pushback.– Recall all those times DeMar DeRozan had punked the Heat over the years, no matter the uniform?– Then consider Larsson twice stepping up against DeRozan in this one.– With it getting to the point where DeRozan, driven to distraction, committed his first flagrant foul of the season against Larsson in the fourth quarter.– But this wasn’t just tough-guy stuff.– This was Larsson establishing a career-high in assists in this one, with nine.– Pelle Larsson as point forward.– Who knew?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– While also filling out the rest of the box score.– In another of the night’s storylines, to his credit, through all the ups and downs of playing time, Kel’el Ware showed up every night for work.– Until Tuesday night he and Dru Smith were the only Heat players to appear in every game.– With Ware missing Tuesday night’s game against the Kings with hamstring tightness.– Which happens.– But it also showed how thin the Heat stand in their power rotation.– So from the deep freeze, Nikola Jovic moved back into the rotation.– As Vlad Goldin remained in the G League, clearly not ready for NBA action. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– The irony is that lined up against the Heat starters on Tuesday night was Precious Achiuwa, who was waived by the Heat at the end of camp.– Granted, it’s not as if the Heat stood an Achiuwa away at the end of camp.– But since that move with Precious, the Heat have remained with an open roster spot, now for over a month with enough room to sign a player and remain under the punitive luxury tax.– As Jovic again struggled on Tuesday night, there seemingly would be something to be said about another big body.– For now? A waiting game.– Perhaps that extra tax space is being saved for a bigger move. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement– Perhaps not having another big body is management’s way of making sure Ware plays.– But for as set as the Heat are at the wing and in the backcourt, another big seemingly could provide insurance.– For nights such as Tuesday.– In case the other center, in Tuesday’s case Bam Adebayo, is injured or in foul trouble.– Or if there have been harsher sanctions from Tuesday night’s Adebayo dustup with DeRozan in the second quarter.– Where have you gone Kevin Love?– (And, no, the Heat cannot reacquire him directly from the Jazz.)– So for now, still a vacant roster spot.– Still space under the tax to sign an additional player. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRelated Articles Heat’s Kel’el Ware out for first time this season, sits at Sacramento due to hamstring Wiggins celebration muted as Heat start five-game trip on wrong foot A bitter blow for Jimmy Butler in reunion, tearing ACL vs. Heat and out for season ASK IRA: Do Heat have any choice now but to play out Herro waiting game?
