The Heat suffered a blowout loss to the Lakers on Wednesday night in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, falling behind in the third quarter by 32 points before ultimately losing by 18. To make matters worse, a number of the team’s most important players were dealing with injuries by the time the final horn sounded.
Goran Dragic suffered the most significant of those injuries, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that the Heat’s starting point guard has been diagnosed with a plantar fascia tear and will be re-evaluated before Game 2.
Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter) that Dragic has been able to put pressure on his injured left foot and hasn’t ruled out a return this series. The veteran left the arena without using a walking boot and wasn’t favoring his left foot much, adds Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
Still, the injury is a painful one that typically sidelines players for multiple weeks, as Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes explains. There’s precedence for a player sustaining a torn plantar fascia in the playoffs and attempting to play through it, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), who points to Nets forward Joe Johnson in 2013. However, Marks cautions that, despite receiving injections for the pain, Johnson’s effectiveness was compromised for the rest of that series.
Told after Game 1 on Wednesday about the severity of Dragic’s injury, Jimmy Butler said the club has to be ready to play with or without its starting point guard in Game 2, per Malika Andrews of ESPN.
“He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do, but until we can have him back, we got to go out there and we got to fight even harder,” Butler said. “We got to try to cover up what he gives us and make up for it. We’re capable of it. We have to be capable of it. Moving forward, with or without Goran, we better hurry up and tie it up 1-1.”
In addition to Dragic, the Heat’s two All-Stars – Butler and Bam Adebayo – will also have to deal with health issues going forward. Butler was able to remain in Game 1 after rolling his left ankle, while Adebayo suffered a left shoulder strain that knocked him out of the game.
Having finished out Game 1, Butler is expected to be available going forward. As for Adebayo, the Heat said X-rays on his shoulder were negative, and he intends to play on Friday, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, who cautions (via Twitter) that there will be “a lot of treatment” in the big man’s future on Thursday.
If Dragic is unavailable and Adebayo is limited, the Heat figure to reinsert All-Rookie First Team guard Kendrick Nunn and veteran big man Kelly Olynyk into their rotation. However, those injuries will make the Heat an even longer shot to pull off the upset and defeat the Lakers for this year’s title.
Rondo injured Dragic & goofy Howard injured Bam!
Ah yes, yet another NBA conspiracy to gift LeBron and the Lakers a title. We all know that if Danuel House, the league’s most transcendent star, hadn’t been ejected from the bubble the Lakers would have been swept in the second round. Time to boycott the league!
Lakers were up 2-1 in series when house decided to be an idiot.. so there goes your sweep theory..yep.. conspiracy theory.. pat riley told dragic to tear his foot and told bam to injure his shoulder.. he also told butler to twist his ankle for good measure on drive to basket.. these were all by order of the nba.. gtfoh.. out of the 10 finals lebron has been too, how many was he actually listed on a team that was the favorite to win.. certainly not any of the Cavs teams..
@Lakers1
I think your sarcasm detector might be faulty. I’m pretty certain C-Daddy was kidding
No it wasn’t, that was to all the lebron haters out there because that’s exactly what they’d think.. not specific to c daddy post..
Crowder tried to take out LBJ and I forget who bloodied Greens lip…no foul called
Butler bloodied greens lip with an elbow
Looks like a sweep
yep
Game over
Game over
No drag if…no chance.
No watchable. Boycott
Wtf settle down Sillivan
I don’t know what it is but it feels like every year the finals are ruined by injuries.
Lakers in 4 was already a thing but after last night this will be a quick series.
Lakers did what I thought they’d do..Nullifying the 2-3 zone.. open corner 3’s.. attacking the lane and beating up miami’s bigs.. the concern I have is the lakers get bored when they go up big and start chucking 3’s.. at one point in 2nd half they were 2/17 on 3’s..lakers need to finish them.. will there be a parade In LA if lakers win? Kostas will have a ring in year 2 before giannis in year 7
Yup, good call Lakers1@. Pretty much all the stuff you mentioned the last few days have come to be. Lakers looking very strong at this point.
Lakers looked real good last night. They got it done. As far as Dragic, I don’t know if he can come back from that. I’ve had plantar fasciitis and it’s no joke. First waking up in the mornings you can’t even walk on your foot. It does warm up later but if there’s a tear there, how can you even run? Dragic plays a key role for the Heat and a tough task just became a little tougher with him out.
Yes at this point in the season everybody is banged up and a lot of guys don’t say anything about it. Everybody has a bum ankle or two and sore hips and shoulders and elbows. But the Lakers are looking good… that’s too bad.., this might be quick.
If lakers weren’t in finals, I’d be pulling for heat.. riley will always be a laker and I like there lunch pale go to work play.. I like players that are killers .. I think butler and bam are those players and Herro is developing into one.im wondering if the lakers are getting rid of the small ball formula.. while teams are gravitating towards smaller units and having a 5 that shoots, the lakers are showing that there’s still a place for a typical big lineup.. enforcers down low that just beat you up.. It definately helps having Ad slide to the 5 when they want to play small ball..
“there lunch pale” It’s like you’re pointing to a sammy covered in mayo.
Will the last person in the building please turn out the lights at the end of game 4. Thanks see you next season.
Dunn had Virus. It’s why they sat him. Drajic is done so Dunn has opportunity to show. Heat can’t win without Bam. Bam is gd they can win 2 gms. I hope. I want to see some games.