On Wednesday, Indiana Pacers’ Victor Oladipo checked into an NBA game for the first time since January 23rd, 2019. Oladipo, a beloved member of the roster, ruptured his quad tendon last year; ending his promising 2019 campaign.
In his first game in over a year, Oladipo finished with 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists in 21 minutes of playing time. The Pacers beat to the Chicago Bulls 115-106 in overtime.
His performance was as expected after seeing game action for over a year. There was some rust, and it will take a substantial amount of time for him to build chemistry with his new teammates and get comfortable. However, he did hit a clutch three-pointer to tie the game up in regulation and send it to overtime. If he comes back to full form, the ceiling for this team is quite high come playoff time.
With Wednesday being his first game, he did incur a minutes restriction while coming off of the bench. This protocol will most likely continue until the All-Star break, as the Pacers early success give them no reason to rush there centerpiece back to full minutes prematurely.
One game is not worth overreacting about, as we did see glimpses of Oladipo that excited us about the future. It will take time for everyone to adjust, but when they do, look out for Indiana.
Photo Credit- Getty Images
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