Heat point guard Dragic doubtful for Game 6 of Finals
Miami likely will be without guard Goran Dragic for the fifth time in these NBA Finals when the Heat meets the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 6 on Sunday (7:30 p.m., ABC).
The Heat listed Dragic as doubtful for the game.
Dragic had been having issues with the plantar fascia in his left foot for a few weeks and tore it during the first half of Game 1 of the Finals.
Jimmy Butler said Dragic has continued efforts to try to return, though the Heat and Dragic believe the injury has been too painful and limiting for him to be effective.
“What he’s trying to do, you tip your hat to a guy like that,” forward Jae Crowder said. “Obviously, it’s a terrible time going down with an injury. It’s eating him alive that he’s put in all this work and has to face this injury that he’s facing.”
Dragic, 34, was leading the Heat in scoring in the playoffs heading into the Finals.
LAKERS UPSET
Lakers coach Frank Vogel voiced displeasure about two foul calls that sent Butler to the line late in Miami’s Game 5 win. Butler made all four free throws on those sequences.
But in its usual day-aftergame assessment of foul calls made in the final two minutes, the NBA ruled that both plays were correctly called fouls against the Lakers.
“I felt two bad calls at the end put Butler to the line, and that’s unfortunate in a game of this magnitude,” Vogel said. “Anthony Davis had perfect verticality; [that] should be a play on. And the time before that, Markieff Morris has his hands on the ball; that should be a play on.
“They were given four free throws and made it an uphill battle for us. Very disappointed in that aspect of the game, but we’re going to bounce back strong.”
LeBron James cited “a couple questionable calls that swayed their way and put Jimmy to the free-throw line. Obviously, we can’t do that. He’s been damn near perfect at the free-throw line in the series.”
Butler has shot 92 percent from the line in the Finals (46 for 50).
The NBA said the Heat did benefit in one regard: An illegal defense should have been called on Andre Iguodala with 28 seconds left, which would have given the Lakers a free throw when they were down one.
A Danny Green missed an open three-pointer on a pass from James with seven seconds left, and the Lakers were 0for-6 from the field off a James’ pass in the clutch, per ESPN. The NBA defines clutch as the final five minutes of a game with a margin of five points or fewer.
“I’ve always played the game the same since I was a kid and I’ve had success doing it; I won’t let a play here or a play there change how I play the game,” James said.
Some — including ESPN’s
Jay Williams — criticized James for not taking that shot, considering he was having another spectacular game (40 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists and three steals). But Vogel said James “made the right play. Danny is one of our best shooters; he had a great look.”
A The Lakers’ Davis — who left Game 5 briefly after aggravating a sore right heel injury when Iguodala stepped on his foot — said he “will be fine” for Game 6. Vogel said Davis “was struggling to move a little bit but toughed it out.”
A James said of the Heat: “One thing about this team that we are playing, they make you pay for every mistake. It’s the same as when I was playing against Golden State all those years; you make a mistake, they make you pay.”
James will play in his 260th playoff game, breaking a tie with Derek Fisher for most postseason games in history.
A Duncan Robinson said he believes the Heat’s exceptional conditioning has helped throughout these playoffs, particularly Friday, when Erik Spoelstra played only seven players.
A Tyler Herro’s 47 threepointers are the most made by a rookie in a single playoffs, topping Matt Maloney’s 43.