It was a field day for Goran Dragic, who connected on 75 percent of his attempts from the field to propel the Miami Heat to an emphatic home victory.
Welcome to the Hot Hand, where after every Miami Heat game win or loss we recognize the player who beat put his stamp on the game.
With All Star point guard Kyrie Irving out, Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic was aggressive on the offensive end right from the get-go.
Taking advantage of lackluster defense by the shorthanded Cavaliers throughout the night, Dragic finished the game with 23 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds through three quarters on 9-of-12 shooting. He was also 4-of-5 from long-range, as the Heat knocked down 18 three pointers as a team.
The win marked Miami’s 18th in their last 22 outings and Dragic’s 17th 20+ point game since the start of the new year.
”We forced them to shoot long contested shots,” Dragic said. ”And we played together on offense.”
Spurred by the hot shooting of Dragic and the down-low dominance of Hassan Whiteside (20 points, 13 rebounds), the Heat find themselves just 1 1/2 games behind the Detroit Pistons for the eighth spot in the East.
Lost in the media scrum that was the scuffle that broke out between Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith and Heat guards Rodney McGruder and Dion Waiters was another terrific performance by Miami’s starting point guard.
Over the course of the past three months, Dragic has been one of the more explosive offensive players in the entire NBA, and that certainly continued in last night’s matchup.
With Dragic on the floor, Miami’s numbers on that end of the floor are through the AmericanAirlines Arena roof, and last night was no different.
Points (Per 100 Possessions)
Dragic on court: 155.3
Dragic off court: 113.1
Field Goal Percentage (Per 100 Possessions)
On court: 62.8 percent
Off court: 42.2 percent
While not known as a lethal three-point shooting club, the Heat are also much more effective from that difference when Dragic is running the offense.
Three Point Percentage (Per 100 Possessions)
On court: 61.1 percent
Off court: 43.8 percent
Three Pointers Made (Per 100 Possessions)
On court: 24.4
Off court: 15.8
Quite a disparity, huh?
Case-in-point, when Dragic is on, Miami can be lethal offensively. While it is safe to presume the Heat would have scored less if James, Irving, Love and Smith were all healthy, it may not be as big of a difference as some may think.
Since January, Miami has recorded 100 or more points 22 times, and over the course of that stretch, Dragic is averaging 21.4 points, 5.0 assists, and 1.4 steals on 52 percent shooting over the last 15 contests. He’s also connecting on 45.8 percent of his three-pointers in that span, something that has not been Dragic’s strength in the past.
Overall, another stellar performance from a player who’s proving to be quite possibly the largest All Star snub of the season.
The Cavaliers are expected to have James and Irving back in the lineup for tomorrow night’s showdown in Cleveland, and they will more than likely be playing with a chip on their shoulders following last night’s heated (pun intended) altercation before the teams headed to their respective locker rooms.
That being said, Miami is fighting for its playoff lives and have proven to be able to beat anyone on any given night. It’s shaping up to be a memorable match up at The Q.
Miami (29-34) will head north to the shores of Lake Erie for another matchup with the defending champions.