(Reuters) – Forward Anthony Davis will likely suit up for the Lakers in the NBA Finals Game Six on Sunday despite aggravating a heel contusion on Friday, while Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic has been listed as doubtful as he continues to recover from a foot injury.
Davis injured the heel late in the first quarter of the Lakers’ 111-108 loss and briefly left the game. He returned but appeared to struggle to get up the floor late in the game, which cut his team’s advantage in the best-of-seven series to 3-2.
After the game, Davis, the team’s second most important player after LeBron James, said he would be healthy enough to play on Sunday as the Lakers try to close out the series and claim a record-tying 17th championship.
Dragic’s outlook is not so rosy. The veteran guard suffered a torn plantar fascia ligament in Game One of the series and has missed the last four games. He may not return at all in the series, even if Miami can force a Game Seven.
Friday’s thrilling Game Five, which saw seven lead changes in the last three minutes, included two foul calls in the final minute that put the Heat’s Jimmy Butler on the free throw line.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel objected to those calls after the game but in its Last Two Minute Report, which examines calls made late in close games, the NBA said the calls were correct. Butler made all four free throws.
The report said, however, that there were two fouls that should have gone the Lakers’ way that were not called.
The Heat’s Andre Iguodala should have been penalized for a three-second violation, which would have given the Lakers a technical free throw that could have tied the game and given them possession of the ball.
The other missed call, a foul on James, was less consequential because the Lakers forward got his own rebound and scored on the next shot.
The Lakers had a chance to take the lead with less than 10 seconds remaining but Danny Green missed a wide open three pointer.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Toby Davis)