Miami Heat: The pressing Goran Dragic condundrum
By Simon Smith
While he has performed consistently throughout the season, the play of Goran Dragic late in games has presented a conundrum for the Miami Heat.
Considering the uncertainty surrounding his offseason, the overall play of Goran Dragic has been ultra-impressive for the Miami Heat this season.
Close to being dealt by the Heat to the Dallas Mavericks as part of their manoeuvering to acquire Jimmy Butler, it was only the last-minute decision of the Mavericks to pull out of the deal that meant Dragic would remain in South Beach for the final year of his contract.
In addition to the offseason distractions, being asked to come off the bench on a permanent basis was another challenge facing the 33-year-old not far removed from being named an All-Star for the first time in his career.
To the surprise of no one, Dragic has responded to these challenges in fine style, averaging 16.3 points and 5.0 assists in 28.3 minutes per game. With 11 games already of at least 20 points, Dragic is shooting at a terrific 38.6 percent clip from 3-point range, with the Heat 13-4 when has nailed at least three triples. And while these numbers are great, its been Dragic’s performance in crunch time that has left a lot to be desired.
Fourth on the team with 67 clutch minutes, Dragic has shot 4-of-20 from the field during this time, including a disastrous 0-of-11 from 3-point range. Furthermore, his plus/minus return of -31 ranks last on the team. So while these numbers are incredibly poor, there’s also the added problem of Dragic’s influence at the defensive end of the floor.
While he was never been a defensive stalwart, Dragic’s advancing age and slight drop in foot speed has meant this season, more than ever, opposition players have attacked him on the defensive end. This isn’t to say that Dragic alone is the reason the Heat’s defensive rating has plummeted in recent weeks. Having posted a 105.0 defensive rating for the month of November, the Heat through 10 games in February are at 112.1, with their 2-6 record over the past eight games returning a 113.4 rating.
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Over the course of the season, Dragic’s 109.7 defensive rating ranks last on the team among the nine players who appeared in at least 40 games. Furthermore, the Heat have been 3.8 points per 100 possessions better off defensively with Dragic off the court.
This isn’t to say Dragic has been completely ineffective toward the end of games. For the season, Dragic in fact leads the Heat with 210 total fourth quarter points, converting at a 45.2 percent clip from the field, including 40.2 percent from long range. However, while these returns are notable, there’s certainly a difference between fourth quarter scoring and during clutch time, defined as being within the last five minutes of a game with the score no greater than five points the difference.
Whether it’s as simple as Dragic’s age, meaning he’s losing his legs in critical moments, is anyone’s guess. But when you combine his porous shooting returns with his clear struggles at the defensive end, the Miami Heat certainly have some issues to resolve as it relates to their use of Goran Dragic in key closing moments.