Looking for hope? Dragic’s return is something, with Heat’s playoff fate still up in air
With 24 regular-season games remaining on the Heat’s schedule, a trip to the playoffs is far from a sure thing. In fact, it’s starting to look unlikely.
Entering Sunday, the Heat (26-32) had just a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs and was projected to finish with a 36-46 record, according to FiveThirtyEight.com’s playoff predictions. ESPN’s Basketball Power Index had the Heat with a 36.3 percent chance of making the playoffs.
But a postseason appearance is still possible, with Miami only 1.5 games behind Charlotte for the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot.
The Heat just has to start winning, as it enters Monday’s home game against the Suns with eight losses in the past 10 games. If you’re looking for a reason why Miami will be a better team over the final six weeks of the season, the return of Goran Dragic represents some hope.
“It felt great. After two months, it felt good to be back on the floor,” Dragic said after playing in Saturday’s loss to the Pistons. “I would’ve liked that the outcome would be different. But for me, it’s just I’m trying to get back. I made the first step. I’m back, so now I just need to get stronger.”
Saturday’s game marked Dragic’s first appearance since he underwent surgery on his right knee on Dec. 19. The 32-year-old point guard finished with four points on 2-of-6 shooting, zero rebounds, zero assists and two turnovers in 15:52 of action.
Those aren’t the usual numbers Dragic puts up, as he averaged 17.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.8 assists while making his first All-Star Game last season. But the Heat knows it’s going to take time for Dragic to return to form after missing 31 consecutive games.
“I don’t even care about his performance,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “It just is great to have him back out here. When somebody goes in for surgery at the time that he did, you think that could be it for the season. But he’s back, and there’s nothing like real game action. He’s in great shape, but it’s different than game action. He needs these minutes right now.”
Dragic played as a reserve Saturday, spending each of his 16 minutes on the court with guard Dwyane Wade. The backcourt duo finished as a minus-11, with Wade playing as the point guard and Dragic playing off the ball.
“It was different,” Dragic said. “[Wade], he was the primary ball-handler, so basically I was more in the corner, which is where I’m good because it’s my first game so I’m not going to have to go all out. So I just want to feel it up and down and try to battle through screens, try to get that feeling back. It’s going to take time, but I’m looking forward to those challenges.”
Dragic has been the Heat’s starting point guard since he was traded to Miami in the middle of the 2014-15 season, so he’s used to having the ball in his hands. But Saturday’s off-the-ball role could be a sign of things to come, with the emergence of 22-year-old Justise Winslow.
Winslow has played the best basketball of his NBA career while filling in for Dragic as the Heat’s starting point guard. During the 31-game span Dragic was out, Winslow averaged 13.1 points on 43.3 percent shooting from the field and 36 percent shooting from three-point range, 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals.
Dragic, one of the few starting NBA point guards who can still be effective without the ball in his hands, could be used differently with Winslow flourishing in an on-the-ball role this season. There’s also Dion Waiters and Wade, who both play with the ball in their hands during stretches of games.
For now, Dragic just wants to continue to work his way back to his normal allotment of minutes. He averaged 30-plus minutes of playing time in each of his first four seasons with the Heat.
When will Dragic be back to his usual workload?
“I don’t know. That’s about coach,” Dragic said before making it clear that he understood Spoelstra’s cautious approach.
“This is my first game back, so it doesn’t make sense to go 25-30 minutes. Go step by step. I feel like I broke the ice. I’m back, so I’m patient. Of course, I need to get in shape first. I need to get legs under me.”
With the Heat’s playoff fate on the line and the regular-season winding down, Dragic doesn’t have much time.
▪ The Heat is listing James Johnson (slight AC sprain in left shoulder), Rodney McGruder (bruised right knee) and Winslow (left knee soreness) as doubtful for Monday’s game against the Suns.
This story was originally published February 24, 2019 at 10:21 AM.
