Miami Heat 2016-17 player preview: Goran Dragic

Apr 20, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) dribbles the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) defends during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) dribbles the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Kemba Walker (15) defends during the first quarter in game two of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
3 of 5
Feb 7, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic (7) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Clippers guard J.J. Redick (4) during the second half at American Airlines Arena. The Clippers won 100-93. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

What Dragic does well

Dragic greatest strength is attacking the defence and getting to the rim. By doing this, he is highly proficient at either finishing the play himself or setting up his teammates in a variety of ways. When he is able to use his aggressive mindset in combination with his speed and ball handling, it can be a lethal weapon for the Heat. Last season per Basketball Reference, Dragic converted on 64.4 percent of his shots attempted at the rim. For a 6-foot-4 point guard, this is exceptional. And the fact that this made up 54.2 percent of his total made field goals indicates this is clearly his greatest asset.

With the added bonus this season of being in charge, these numbers could be even greater. During his breakout season of 2013-14, Dragic hit an amazing 70 percent of his shots attempted at the rim. As Pat Riley noted during Dragic’s press conference video on the previous page, “A lot of big guys don’t finish like that.”

Another example of Dragic’s impact when aggressive came last season. He played in 44 games in which he attempted 12 or more field goals. He averaged 17.4 points per game and 6.3 assists per game whilst shooting 49.6 percent from the field. With the ability to do this on a regular basis, these numbers could certainly become even more impressive.