SI

Jimmy Butler’s Latest Suspension Leads to Surprising Player Joining Starting Lineup

Stephen Douglas

Pelle Larsson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo fight for a rebound.
Pelle Larsson, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo fight for a rebound. / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
In this story:

Jimmy Butler is currenlty serving his second team suspension of the season as he tries to force a trade out of Miami. The Heat went 3–4 during Butler's first suspension and were just 1–2 in the three games he played in before missing a team flight.

With the team dropping from fifth to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, coach Erik Spoelstra needed a spark when the team took on the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. Instead of Jaime Jaquez Jr. or Terry Rozier, both of whom have spent time in the starting line up in Butler's abscence, or Haywood Highsmith, who has started 75% of the team's games this season, coach Erik Spoelstra turned to unlikely place.

Rookie Pelle Larsson got his first career start on TNT.

A second round pick in the 2024 draft who is averaging just 4 points and 13 minutes a game this season, he proceeded to pick up three fouls in the first two minutes of the game.

Larsson, who averaged 12 points a game for the Arizona Wildcats last season, finished with four points and five rebounds in 14 minutes as the Heat got blown out by Milwaukee.

More of the Latest Around the NBA

feed

Published
Stephen Douglas
STEPHEN DOUGLAS

Stephen Douglas is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in media since 2008 and now casts a wide net with coverage across all sports. Douglas spent more than a decade with The Big Lead and previously wrote for Uproxx and The Sporting News. He has three children, two degrees and one now unverified Twitter account.

Home/NBA