Heat starters Bam Adebayo, Goran Dragic ruled out for Game 2 of Finals
The Miami Heat will be without two important starters in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
Center Bam Adebayo (neck strain) and guard Goran Dragic (torn plantar fascia in left foot) will not play in Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Both players were listed as doubtful on the injury report, but were ruled out a few hours before the start of Game 2.
The Heat was forced to tweak its starting lineup for the first time this postseason, as it started Adebayo, Dragic, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler and Jae Crowder in the first 16 games of the playoff run. With Dragic and Adebayo out, Miami decided to start Tyler Herro, Robinson, Butler, Crowder and Meyers Leonard on Friday against the Lakers.
According to Cleaning the Glass, an NBA advanced stats site, the Heat has been outscored by 18.2 points per 100 possessions this postseason when both Adebayo and Dragic have not been on the court. Miami has outscored opponents by a total of 55 points in the playoffs with the duo on the court together.
Without Adebayo and Dragic, the Heat enters Game 2 as a 10-point betting underdog as it looks to avoid a 2-0 series hole.
The attention now turns to Game 3 on Sunday night, with both Adebayo and Dragic hoping to return at some point in the series.
Dragic has been able to put pressure on his left foot and is still holding out hope he’ll be able to return before the end of the Finals, according to a league source. Dragic has been working closely with Heat therapists and trainers to work his way back as quickly as possible.
Dragic, 34, did not play in the second half of Game 1 because of the foot injury. He recorded six points on 3-of-8 shooting and three assists in 15 first-half minutes, as the injury looked to occur in the second quarter when Dragic stepped on Lakers guard Rajon Rondo’s foot.
Dragic, who will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason, has been one of the Heat’s most reliable and efficient offensive options this postseason. He entered the Finals averaging a team-high 20.9 points on 45.2 percent shooting, to go with 4.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists during the playoff run.
Friday marked the 15th game Dragic has missed this season because of various injuries, but the first one he has been unavailable for this postseason. A strained groin kept Dragic out for nine games in December.
As for Adebayo, his left shoulder bothered him during the Eastern Conference finals. But coach Erik Spoelstra said Thursday that the neck strain is a “different injury.”
Adebayo, 23, finished Game 1 of the Finals with eight points on 2-of-8 shooting, four rebounds and zero assists in 21 minutes before leaving the game in the third quarter.
Adebayo has been one of the Heat’s best players in the playoffs, averaging 17.8 points on 55.7 percent shooting, 10.9 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals. Friday marked just the second game Adebayo has missed since the start of his second NBA season.
Adebayo and Dragic are tied with a team-best plus/minus of plus-77 this postseason.
This story was originally published October 2, 2020 at 6:07 PM.
