Indiana basketball alum Victor Oladipo has decided to play in the bubble and has looked good in his return.
Victor Oladipo wasn’t planning on playing when the NBA returned to the bubble but he changed his mind recently and the Pacers are happy he did.
Nobody would have looked down on Oladipo for sitting out of the NBA’s return. He was coming back from a devastating leg injury and wasn’t 100% when he returned shortly before the season got put on hold.
With the return from injury and the fact that he is going to be a free agent when the season ended, it seemed logical for Oladipo to sit out. Well that didn’t last long and he decided to join the Pacers in Orlando and he has looked good in their scrimmages
On Sunday against the Dallas Mavericks, Oladipo scored 16 points including four three-pointers. He looked like his former self, as he created off the dribble and made it tough on the Mavericks.
Oladipo would pitch in seven rebounds and three assists in the win over Dallas and it gave Pacers fans a glimpse of what might be for the final eight games and the playoffs.
The Pacers have some good young players, but having Oladipo in the lineup makes them a tough out for any team they play, even the Bucks. Indiana won’t be the favorite heading into the playoffs, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them make a run and Oladipo will be right in the middle of it.
The Pacers open up the restart on Saturday when they “host” the 76’ers and Joel Embiid at 7 pm. It is the first of eight regular-season games before the playoffs start. The Pacers and 76ers are currently tied for the 5th spot and two games behind the Heat for the fourth spot in the East.