Goran Dragic suffered a gruesome injury a few days ago and he was forced to miss one game because of it. In the game against the Toronto Raptors, Dragic got hit in the face by Cory Joseph's elbow, which resulted in an eye injury. The Miami Heat guard could not see out of his right eye and he had to miss the Heat's game against the Indiana Pacers, but the good news is that he will be back for the next game.
The Miami Heat play their next game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 15, and they begin a 5-game homestand with it. Having Goran Dragic back in the lineup is a huge relief for the Heat, as they are chasing the playoffs and every game counts.
Goran Dragic is the Miami Heat's most valuable player
Goran Dragic is having the best season of his career in Miami and he is the best Heat player this season. He is not only leading the team in scoring and assisting, but is also one of the most efficient players in the entire league and one of the best three-point shooters. Furthermore, Dragic runs the Miami Heat offense and is a great ball distributor. Without him, the offense is not very good and the team fails to score consistently.
One thing that best demonstrates Goran Dragic's value to the Miami Heat is the fact that they are 1-8 without him this season. The Heat have won only one game without Dragic, yet they've had plenty of losses. No one was able to step up and replace the 30-year-old guard in the games that he missed, and the Heat cannot afford to lose him in the last month of the season.
Miami Heat need all the help they can get
With 15 games left in the season, the Miami Heat cannot afford to lose more players and have them sit games out. They are only half a game behind the eighth seed and every game counts at this point. Miami did not have Dragic in their last game, and the Indiana Pacers used it to their advantage, beating them and denying them entry into the playoff picture.
INJURY UPDATE: @Goran_Dragic says he's "definitely" playing tomorrow night vs the Pelicans! #HEATisOn pic.twitter.com/2igtyjWvYD
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 14, 2017
The Miami Heat will play their next five games at home and will have to use the home-court advantage to move up in the standings. After this homestand, Miami will go on a 3-game road trip that includes two playoff teams.
When Goran Dragic plays, the Heat have a winning record with 31 wins and 27 losses. If the Slovenian guard stays healthy for the rest of the season, Miami will undoubtedly have a big advantage over their opponents, and, in turn, make the playoffs.
