Miami Heat point guard Goran Dragic was guarding Atlanta Hawks forward Al Horford at the top of the key in the third quarter of Miami’s 100-88 victory in Atlanta Monday night when Horford swung his arms to clear space, smacking Dragic right in the mouth. Horford’s elbow hit Tragic so hard it dislodged part of his front tooth. If that wasn’t bad enough, Tragic was also called for the foul on the play, despite being the one who took the hit.
Goran Dragic takes an elbow, loses a tooth and is still called for a foul. https://t.co/cjnlAW3Jfw
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 15, 2015
“We knew he was tough, but we didn’t know he was ‘get your teeth knocked out, bleeding and come right back in’ tough,” Dwyane Wade told the Associated Press.
Dragic was having fun with it, as he told the Palm Beach Post he kept the tooth, showing it to reporters after the game. Despite Jordan White’s suggestion over at Uproxx, Dragic says he’s too old to put it under his pillow for the tooth fairy, but will go to the doctor and see if it can be fixed, although he admits there’s “probably nothing” that can be done.
Dragic can take solace that his lost tooth wasn’t for naught as the Heat did keep pace with Charlotte in the Southeast division at 14-9, ending a seven-game losing streak against the Hawks. Plus if he’s a half cup full kind of guy, Dragic has a new smile to show off.
[Uproxx]