The NBA Finals couldn’t have started much worse for the Miami Heat. Not only did they get blown out 116-98 by the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 on Wednesday night, but they also lost veteran guard Goran Dragic (foot) and big man Bam Adebayo (shoulder) to injuries that could alter the course of the series.
A league source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Dragic sustained a plantar tear in his left foot. His return in the series is unclear.
Dragic appeared to injure his left leg during the second quarter while driving against Rajon Rondo, but he didn’t exit the game immediately. According to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, Dragic left the locker room after halftime and was nearly at the entrance to the court before a team staffer stopped him. The 34-year-old guard then went back to the locker room and did not return.
“I know he’s as tough as anybody, and it’s the Finals,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said of Dragic after the game. “But I don’t have an update on his foot right now.”
With just over 6 minutes left in the third quarter, Adebayo exited clutching his shoulder. He was briefly examined on the sideline before heading back to the locker room with Dr. Harlan Selesnick, the team physician. Adebayo had X-rays and they were negative, Miami said.
This isn’t the first upper-body injury the 23-year-old Adebayo has sustained this postseason. He hurt his shoulder after getting tangled up with Boston Celtics guard Jayson Tatum at the end of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals. After that game Adebayo said he was “good,” and he carried the Heat in a closeout Game 6 victory, racking up a career-high 32 points and 14 rebounds.
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