Miami Heat: Goran Dragic’s absence allowing Josh Richardson to thrive?

Is Miami Heat swingman Josh Richardson playing better because Goran Dragic is sidelined?

Josh Richardson has really found his groove with the Miami Heat this season.

Currently averaging 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.2 steals in 35.1 minutes over 32 games, the swingman has put in the effort to make sure that he’s looked at as one of the team’s go-to scorers.

But it hasn’t totally been smooth sailing.

While the 25-year-old did start 2018-19 off strong, with the likes of a 31-point performance against the Sacramento Kings on October 29, followed by a 32-point one versus the Atlanta Hawks on November 3, he found himself in a bit of a shooting slump in early December.

On December 4 against the Orlando Magic, for example, he finished with just six points on 2-of-14 shooting from the field in 32 minutes. Similarly, he totaled a mere eight points in 39 minutes on December 7 versus the Phoenix Suns, going 3-for-10 from the field.

Heat Nation can breathe a sigh of relief though, as Richardson has very much bounced back since.

In Wednesday’s matchup with the Toronto Raptors, he recorded 17 points in 36 minutes, shooting 6-of-12 from the floor, and 3-for-5 from downtown. This was alongside two rebounds, seven assists, one block and one assist too.

Now even superstars go through periods of time during which their shots simply won’t fall. And then in a blink of an eye, their touch comes back, as quickly as they initially lost it.

But there might be something to be said for the fact that the fourth-year started thriving again, at the same time that Goran Dragic went down with a knee injury.

Dragic, who underwent an operation and is expected to be sidelined until after the NBA All-Star break, hasn’t seen time in a game since December 10, when he played just 18 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers.

And while he had also previously missed 12 other contests, due to health concerns, there’s one key difference: Justise Winslow has recently been filling in for him as the Heat’s official starting point guard.

So how could that be affecting Richardson?

Well, for starters, it’s given the team some much-needed stability, when it comes to rotations.

With head coach Erik Spoelstra still tinkering with his lineups, knowing that Winslow will now be slotted in to fill in for Dragic on a nightly basis, allows the former Tennessee Volunteer to better prepare for the battle ahead.

It also lets Richardson know what to expect in terms of the pace; while Dragic’s preferred run-and-gun tempo can certainly act as an advantage against specific opponents, it can also place added pressure on his teammates in regards to things like being extra careful when trying to limit turnovers.

Additionally, the more offensive burden Winslow takes on, the less Richardson has to stress about being Miami’s saving grace. Although Dwyane Wade has definitely made more of an impact this year than just about anyone who have guessed he would, no one else has really stepped up as the ball club’s “it” guy.

But if Winslow can keep up the good work, Richardson can finally have another partner in crime.

The Miami Heat are absolutely missing Goran Dragic, but there does seem to be a silver-lining to his absence after all.