Miami Heat shorthanded as they visit East leaders

By now, the assumption is that Tyler Herro will be absent, for pretty much every game. He's missed 27 of 33 this season, due to two different injuries -- ankle and then toe -- and he did not make the trip to Detroit for the Miami Heat's shot at the East-leading Detroit Pistons.

It was not known, however, if Miami would be missing another key piece.

Now it is.

Pelle Larsson, who missed time earlier after a left ankle sprain, will not play Thursday due to a right ankle sprain suffered in the rout of the Denver Nuggets.

PELLE LARSSON PLEASE BE OKAY

SUCH BAD LUCK MAN pic.twitter.com/NxtRM91Zkq
— 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 (@WadexFlash) December 30, 2025

Even though Larsson is no longer starting -- Erik Spoelstra replaced him with Bam Adebayo and kept Kel'el Ware in the lineup against Denver -- he still will be missed. The Heat are 13-6 with the second-year wing starting this season, and he's been equally important as a bench piece, providing energy, defense and better shooting and playmaking than expected. He's looked like a second round steal, the sort of player every contender keeps to tie things together.

Without Larsson, Spoelstra will likely give more minutes to Nikola Jovic, who has been resurgent of late after an incredibly slow start to the season, followed by an elbow injury that wasn't as serious as feared. Jovic signed a four-year extension over the summer, so as long as he's healthy and confident, the Heat have an interest in him continuing his positive course.

This is also an opportunity for former Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio, who missed the most recent practice with ankle inflammation but did make the trip. Fontecchio has been in a shooting rut since a scorching hot start to his first Heat season. Maybe the familiar surroundings will get him going.

Regardless, it seems likely that Spoelstra will start with Ware, Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Norman Powell and Davion Mitchell, and then turn to Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jovic and Dru Smith as his top eight. The Heat are not in striking distance of Detroit in the Eastern Conference, but a win would be welcome, as it would show that Miami is ready to compete with the best.

The Heat have lost a number of tight games to the Pistons over the past couple of seasons, some with strange circumstances (such as Spoelstra calling a timeout he didn't have in one and Jimmy Butler's last brilliant Heat performance being wasted in another).

Miami faces Minnesota after Detroit before the schedule softens a bit again. When will Herro return? The Heat aren't saying. He continues to be day-to-day with "no timetable." Don't be surprised if Larsson is back sooner.