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Report: Heat's Goran Dragic out for must-win Game 5 vs. Lakers

Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic is out for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported.

Dragic has been dealing with a torn plantar fascia since Game 1 of the series. It can take weeks to properly heal and it always seemed likely he would miss the entirety of the series, even though the team never officially said his season was over. He has remained “doubtful” for every game since.

The Heat are down, 3-1, against the Los Angeles Lakers. Dragic was emotional earlier this week about likely missing the rest of the series and not being there for his teammates.

“It’s not the easiest thing right now for me to sit down on the sideline and watch my team,” he said ahead of Game 4. “How they’re battling, how they’re playing well and of course I want to be out there. But yeah, I don’t know. Most of the time I ask myself, I ask the guy above us why it has to happen right now. It’s tough. It’s tough. Try to look at this so everything is with a purpose so we’ll see.”

The Heat were also without center Bam Adebayo, who left Game 1 with a left foot injury. He returned in Game 4 to put up 15 points and seven rebounds in 33 minutes on the floor. The Heat lost, 102-96, to fall into the 3-1 hole.

The Lakers are wearing their Kobe Bryant-designed Black Mamba jerseys for the potential final game. It would be their first NBA championship since Bryant’s final title in 2010.

Goran Dragic in a white Heat jersey dribbles at midcourt.
Miami Heat's Goran Dragic will miss Game 5, per a report. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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