Miami Heat: Shaq says Goran Dragic should get same respect as Chris Paul

The Miami Heat have a chance to punch their ticket to the NBA Finals on Friday. A huge part of the reason why is because of Goran Dragic’s play.

The Miami Heat are sitting on the cusp of doing something special. They are but one win away from cashing their tickets in for a trip and a chance to win an NBA title.

Just a year or so removed from one of those middling type rosters, you know, one that’s good enough to win a low seed in the playoffs but not good enough to win the whole thing, the Miami Heat have totally righted the ship.

With a few choice offseason moves, saavy drafting, and of course that patented Miami Heat devopment and conditioning program, the Miami Heat once again are a contender. While a lot of what has made the Miami Heat their best selves this season is new to Miami, there are parts of the team that have been there or ar the same.

While Jimmy Butler, Kendrick Nunn, heavy Duncan Robinson, Jae Crowder, Andre Iguodala, and not to mention Tyler Herro, among a few others, are new to South Beach, there are a few parts that have been there for a few years now. One of those pieces and quite frankly, one of the reasons they managed to stay afloat in those lean years is Goran Dragic.

Dragic has been a beast in these playoffs, averaging over 20 points per game in a starter’s role and allotment of minutes. He has hit big shots and come up clutch in game after game and over series after series.

The Miami Heat are almost headed to the NBA Finals. They’ve gotten this far in large part due to what Goran Dragic has been able to give them.

He’s a huge part of what the Miami Heat have been able to do in this postseason. We aren’t the only ones who have noticed though.

His old league vet when he was a rookie with the Phoenix Suns is noticing too. Here is what he, with the “he” being former Miami Heat champion, All-Time NBA player, and current TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal, had to say on the topic.

Of course, Charles Barkley had something to say about it, but Shaq is right. I am not sure how he meant it, but hear this.

When you think about the fact that both of these guys are smaller veteran point guards and have somehow managed to be leaders of sorts for their teams and their teams’ big 3’s, whether that be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari, and CP3 or Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Goran Dragic, that makes them the same.

It seems simple, but to do what they have done this season and the way they did it, it deserves a certain level of respect. Also, what Goran Dragic has been able to do is at worst a half-click behind what CP3 was able to do and that’s why he deserves the same respect.

Again, I can’t say for certain what Shaq meant exactly here but either way, he was right. This was how. This is why Goran Dragic should get same respect as Chris Paul for the season he’s not done having.