Miami Heat: Goran Dragic Is Just… The Difference

The Miami Heat are coming off of their second straight victory on Monday night and an impressive one, when you consider all that went into it. Though only against the Rockets, the league-worst team from Houston when you think about records, the Miami Heat were without three of their top six guys.

With Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro all missing the contest, the Miami Heat should have still competed, but could you have blamed them for losing? Well, you wouldn’t even get that opportunity, as not only did the Miami Heat not lose, but they dominated the game.

While there are several reasons and players that deserve major credit in this game, there is a guy who seems to be getting back to himself over the last few games, specifically. That guy is the guy that we affectionately call The Dragon, Goran Dragic.

The Miami Heat need Goran Dragic to be ‘himself’ to be their best selves.

Goran has struggled this season and while some think it’s because “he’s done”, you have to consider the injury he had, what it impacts, how it impacts, and the mental side of getting back from it. Not only did he have to physically heal, but you have to learn to mentally trust that body part again.

With a guy who’s game is built off of the erky jerkiness that Goran’s is, he needs to be able to stop, start, slow down, and explode again, all on or off a dime to be able to put defenders in the blender. When he can do that, he is hard to guard.

He has done that recently over the Miami Heat’s last few games. You could really start to see it shine through in Phoenix, last week.

Though he didn’t make as many shots as you would like for him to make, the fact that he was aggressive as he was and attempting some of the moves he was made you think “hmmm, he hasn’t done that, like that, in a while”.

As the games progressed, getting to Sunday’s Brooklyn contest, The Bam Game,  and then Monday’s game against Houston, Dragic not only showed you his old moves but he showed you that he could still finish them and knock down the long-ball off of those moves. Again, while many felt concerned, you could see that it was a comfort, trust, and timing thing, more than anything else if you watched closely.

The point of it all is this though. In order for the Miami Heat to accomplish their ultimate goals, peak Dragic will need to be there, as he’s the difference.

He’s the difference in their inconsistency up until this point, as they had a consistent 20 point per contest guy, nearly, coming off the pine last season, guaranteed and like clock-work. Also, he’s the difference in how far they go this season.

If he truly is back, then so are their chances. If he can’t sustain or bring it every single night, they’ll face trouble.

It’s as simple as that and why Goran Dragic is the difference.