Miami Heat: Top 5 individual performances to date in 2019-20

5. Goran Dragic, Jan. 5 vs. Portland Trail Blazers

Entering the season just 20 months removed from being named an All-Star for the first time, accepting a permanent role coming off the bench was never going to be easy for Goran Dragic.

Despite being 33 and entering his 12th season, Dragic’s level of pride and self-confidence meant his clear first preference would be to operate as the Heat’s starting floor general.

But with the arrival of Jimmy Butler and the unexpected emergence of some younger players on the roster — most notable Kendrick Nunn — Dragic decided to refocus his efforts to solidify the second unit for the betterment of the team.

And amongst a host of exceptional performances, his 29-point, 13-assist masterpiece at home against the Portland Trail Blazers stands out the most.

In his customary role as the first player called off the bench by head coach Erik Spoelstra, Dragic did his damage in just 30 minutes of action, with his seven second-quarter assists the highest of any single quarter for the Heat this season. A great deal of these assists were generated from his attacking mindset, where Dragic’s 11.7 drives per game leading into the game were almost doubled to 21 against Portland.

From these drives, Dragic produced eight points on 4-of-6 shooting in addition to dishing out seven assists with zero turnovers. Dragic also shot 4-of-6 on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers with a further two triples coming after seven or more dribbles.

This complete mixture of driving to the hole, working off the ball while also creating his own shot from the perimeter all added up to a sensational game that ultimately delivered the Heat a 122-111 win.