The Indiana Pacers were dealt a crushing blow last season when sweet-singing star guard Victor Oladipo went down with a ruptured quad that cost him the back half of the season.
Oladipo was expected to miss a good chunk of the 2019-20 campaign, but teammate Myles Turner thinks differently.
During the Pacers media day, Myles Turner claimed the All-Star will be returning sooner than expected:
Turner: “I know how Vic’s wired. He’s going want to come back earlier than expected (Dec/Jan)” #PacersMediaDay pic.twitter.com/WyVSI8RoQ8
— J. Michael (@ThisIsJMichael) September 27, 2019
It makes sense that Oladipo wants to return as soon as possible. The Pacers are expected to be serious contenders in the East, and the more games the guard misses, the more games his team is sure to drop in the top-heavy conference.
Even though Oladipo missed 46 games last season, the Pacers still finished with a record of 48-34, good for the fifth seed.
However, Oladipo's absence was apparent during the team's playoff run. They played only four games and looked completely overmatched by an underwhelming Boston Celtics squad.
The Pacers will look to stay afloat until January then make a run during the last months of the season when Oladipo returns.
The organization picked up a very good temporary replacement in the offseason, adding Malcolm Brogdon to help fill the shoes left in Oladipo's absence.
The roster is good enough to remain in contention for a top-four seed even without Victor Oladipo. When he returns, the Pacers could be a dark horse candidate to win the conference, even against powerhouses like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers.
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