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NBA 6MOY Power Rankings, No. 5: Goran Dragic – 14.4 PPG, 5.3 APG, 46% FG, 36% 3FG

There are many that thought Goran Dragic might be done after that devastating foot injury during the NBA Finals. It was fair to think, with the severity of that injury and the shortened offseason, that Dragic might be a zero-impact player if anything this season. But the Dragon lives on and lives well down in Miami Beach.

Playing as the primary guy off the bench, Dragic currently averages around 15 points a game and five assists with an effective field goal percentage of 53 percent. The fact that Dragic has been able to put up similar offensive efficiency numbers to his All-Star days all while doing it in his mid-30s and after a serious injury is truly remarkable. Some of his highlights of the season include a 26-point game against the Bucks and a 21-point game against the Wizards where he hit seven 3′.

Spoelstra likes to use Dragic as the primary ball-handler someone who can score crafty ways but also keep the ball moving and find the open man. Dragic primarily plays with Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson – a good mesh of rim-running and outside shooting threat. The Heat also has some pretty impressive four-man lineups that involve the lefty-Croatian – the Adebayo-Dragic- Robinson-Avery Bradley lineup is +33 per 100 possessions and the Adebayo-Andre Iguodala-Dragic-Avery Bradley lineup is +38 per 100.

Dragic’s performance in the first two months of the season is about the only bright spot for the Miami Heat, who currently sit in 12th in the East. Their poor play thus far (and Dragic’s below-average PER) is really hurting his candidacy, but there’s plenty of time for the Heat to get things rolling. Assuming he can stay healthy, Dragic could serve as a huge x-factor for Miami down the stretch.