Report: Goran Dragic is playing with a nagging foot injury

Goran Dragic is dealing with a painful foot injury that could explain his recent struggles in the Miami Heat’s last few losses.

Since Dion Waiters went down with a sprained ankle, the Miami Heat have struggled. They’ve lost four of their last seven, and Goran Dragic’s sub-par play has something to do with it.

We’ve wondered why Dragic has been so much less effective without his backcourt partner, and after the Heat’s 112-108 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, the team offered some hints as to why.

From the Palm Beach Post’s Anthony Chiang:

"Dragic’s struggles continued Sunday, as he finished with 13 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He’s now averaging 14.8 points on 33.8 percent shooting in the four games Waiters has missed with a sprained left ankle. The Heat need Dragic to return to form, as there is still no timetable for Waiters’ return. Dragic is also dealing with nagging foot injury that’s so painful the Heat training staff is cutting a hole in his sneaker to alleviate the pressure while he’s playing."

It’s unclear when Dragic suffered the foot injury, but it is clear that it’s had an impact. Dragic is struggling to get to the rim, and doesn’t seem to have his usual explosiveness or quick first step to get to the rim.

Throughout the season, Dragic has been one of the best at getting to the basket, averaging 12.1 drives per game and finishing at a 51.3 percent clip. However, in the last four games, Dragic is averaging just 10.7 drives per game and shooting a measly 20 percent, per NBA.com. A painful, nagging foot injury could well explain the drop off in production.

Next: Why the Heat have struggled without Waiters

With Waiters out, and both Dragic and Hassan Whiteside dealing with painful injuries, the Heat it seems are limping to the finish line. With less than 10 games left, Miami hopes that the injuries don’t prevent them from holding on to a playoff spot in the East.