Oladipo missed most of the season, but showed flashes of great play as he returned from injury.
Today, we will be continuing our look at the Heat’s player performances from the season with Victor Oladipo.
Season overview (8 games):
- 12.4 PPG
- 2.9 RPG
- 3.5 APG
- 0.6 SPG
- .479 field-goal percentage
- .737 free-throw percentage
- .608 true-shooting percentage
- 16.86 player efficiency rating
There was a very small sample size to judge Victor Oladipo this season. In fact, that he returned and didn’t face another injury is a huge success. Vic returned to the floor on March 7, scoring 11 points in 15 minutes — a great beginning. But his return also came with some shacking of the rotation and also led to the Heat struggling to win games. Ultimately, Spo moved him out of the rotation for a time, but as the playoffs went on, Vic was a part of what the Heat were doing.
He was good and he also had games that he didn’t contribute much either way. But we all saw in the playoffs a defensive guard who can wreak havoc even if he isn’t making shots. He’s working his way back and the signs were there.
In the Playoffs, Oladipo found his way back in the rotation with injuries to Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler in the first round. And once he got in, he didn’t leave. He shot 40% from the field and played decent in the first two rounds, but he dropped to 28% from the field in the series vs Boston (which is real bad) and only had one good half against them.
Best game?
April 10 @ Orlando Magic
It was his game to play and to lead. It was his highest minutes and usage rate of any game regular season or playoffs and Vic balled out. In the last game of the season, Oladipo dropped 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists to lead Miami. He scored for all three levels, created plays for his teammates, and showed his burst of speed.
It made the last game, while resting starters, watchable.
Numbers to note:
41.7 – That was Vic’s 3-point percentage for the 8-game regular season, which would mark the highest of his career. He seemed very comfortable with his step-back threes, and if he’s able to shoot it at that percentage while also getting to the rim to score and create, he’s a valuable piece.
8 – That was the number of games Oladipo played this season, meaning we don’t really have a lot of numbers to crunch because the sample size is just way too small.
Memorable Moments
Dipo takes a charge on his first possession – There’s nothing more Heat Culture than drawing charges — especially as Miami led the NBA this season by a wide margin in that category. On Vic’s first play of the season, he steps in and draws the foul!
Oladipo & Pepas — He loved that song and so do we. And for most of the season, Vic would lead the crowd in dancing to Pepas during the fourth quarter.
What’s next?
The Miami Heat will have to determine how much they’d be willing to commit to Oladipo moving forward. Some team may come in and offer him something significant. I don’t know what the direction is here. I think the Heat need to find a way to keep him, especially if they plan to move Tyler Herro into the starting lineup, Vic could become that lethal spark off the bench and play a significant role.
But with all that said, the crowding of the backcourt with Max Strus, Duncan Robinson, and Gabe Vincent, the Heat can only allot money to those they plan to play. We’d all love to see Oladipo back here in Miami, but the reality is that it will require some additional moves. He’s likely worth more than the veteran’s minimum right now.