MIAMI — A week removed from the Miami Heat’s season opener, Pelle Larsson says he still feels less than himself.
Held out of last Thursday’s exhibition against the New Orleans Pelicans due to illness and then unable to finish Saturday’s exhibition against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the third-year guard indicated Tuesday he likely will be out for Wednesday night’s home exhibition finale against the Brooklyn Nets at Kaseya Center.
“Not sure really, just been having headaches. So I caught something when we were in Quebec, or on the way back, or something,” Larsson said of the Heat’s Oct. 3 exhibition opener against the Toronto Raptors. “So since then I didn’t feel right, and took some days off, came back, just came back a little too quick, didn’t respect it, maybe, and tried to tough it out. And now, just taking it slower.”
That had Larsson limited to shooting on the side following Tuesday’s practice, still not 100%.
“I don’t know, it’s hard to say, because I was feeling fine, and then, once my heart rate got up, my head started hurting again,” he said, with the Heat not identifying the illness, with NBA injury reports not required during the preseason. “So right now I’m just taking it slow, step-by-step, and can’t really put a percentage on it.”
Larsson thought he could push through Saturday, but instead wound up shooting 4 of 15 from the field, with five assists and a team-high four turnovers in his 24:54.
“I’ve just been fatigued, and then I thought, you know, I’ve been sick and played before, and played good,” he said. “So I just wanted to get reps in before the season started. And I thought I felt good enough, but it just kind of made it worse, not so much when I was playing, but whenever I would stop, and after the game. So, yeah, it was tough. I was just fatigued.”
With a Wednesday night appearance now unlikely.
“I’ll be taking it slow right now, just increasing the load slowly,” he said, with the Heat then to close out their preseason schedule on Friday night on the road against the Orlando Magic, before their Oct. 21 season opener against the visiting Timberwolves. “I mean, I’ve had headaches; I had it pretty much constant for a week. Today was like the first day I didn’t wake up with a headache, so it’s been 24/7.”
With Dru Smith sidelined by a calf strain sustained during training camp, Larsson had wound up taking repetitions at point guard, including during that preseason-opening victory over the Raptors. He exited training camp setting up as the likely backup at small forward to Andrew Wiggins.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said the key now is to protect Larsson from himself.
“He did some things on the side just to see how that feels,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a zero-to-a-hundred guy, so we have to protect him from himself and just make sure that he scales it appropriately.
“That was probably a little bit too fast, but he’s and he’s wired that way, where he wants to get out there and he’ll be back soon.”
Larsson last month agreed to a four-year, $60 million extension that kicks in with the 2026-27 season. He is earning the NBA veteran minimum this season.
Other ailments
While Smith also worked on the side alone Tuesday, forward Keshad Johnson was a full go after sustaining a hamstring strain during training camp.
“They’re both making progress,” Spoelstra said. “KJ’s been able to practice both days, and that’s been super encouraging. Dru has been able to get on the court now the last two or three days. So I’m encouraged that he’s headed in the right direction.”
Court released
The NBA on Tuesday released the court designs to be utilized during the NBA Cup in-season tournament.
The first of the Heat’s four pool-play games in the event is Oct. 30 against the Indiana Pacers at Kaseya Center.
The NBA Cup court design for Kaseya Center will be used for at least two pool-play games and could be used a maximum of four times, if the Heat were to advance and host quarterfinal and semifinal games.
The championship of the event is Dec. 11 at historic Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on the Butler University campus.
The Heat were eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the event last season.
The Miami Heat’s court design for NBA Cup games at Kaseya Center this season. (NBA)