The man behind the mask
For the first three months of the season, the Pacers had been one of the pleasant surprises of the season in the Eastern Conference. And the long-awaited return of All-Star guard Victor Oladipo had been looked at as the Pacers’ big midseason acquisition, so to speak.
But now that Oladipo has carved out a regular role after making his return to action at the end of January, it’s been far from a seamless transition for the 27-year-old. The Pacers are 5-5 in games with Oladipo in the fold and his availability has already been a concern as he’s missed games with back spasms and right knee soreness, with the latter ailment preventing him from playing in the Pacers’ most recent win over the Spurs.
Of course, that’s the same knee in which Oladipo suffered a ruptured right quad tendon midway through the 2018-19 season and it could prevent him from appearing against the Bucks Wednesday night, per The Athletic’s Scott Agness.
Victor Oladipo, who sat out last night in San Antonio with right knee soreness, is questionable for Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) March 3, 2020
When in action, Oladipo’s minutes have steadily gone up over the last month as the minutes restriction that head coach Nate McMillan had in place has been gradually lifted as he’s attempted to settle back into rhythm.
Given the severity of Oladipo’s injury and rehabilitation, it would have been a stretch to expect a smooth transition for both him and the Pacers, but his play and overall form is still worth watching as he tries to get back to the All-Star level he played at before his injury.