Indiana Pacers All-Star shooting guard Victor Oladipo is expected to come off the bench as he begins his return to NBA action, according to Scott Agness of The Athletic.
Oladipo will make his season debut on Wednesday against the Chicago Bulls at home. He will start by playing in short bursts, similar to what New Orleans Pelicans rookie Zion Williamson has been doing:
Pacers will hold a moment of silence for 24 seconds to honor Kobe. There will also be a video to celebrate Victor Oladipo’s season debut at the first timeout.
Pacers plan to bring him off the bench in short bursts.
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) January 29, 2020
Oladipo averaged 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists for the Pacers last season before he got hurt. The All-Star guard shot 42.3 percent from the field, 34.3 percent from beyond the arc and 73.0 percent from the free-throw line.
The Pacers have been playing well this season without Oladipo. They are 30-17, good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Once Oladipo comes back and gets his legs underneath him, Indiana figures to be even more lethal on offense.
Indiana fans are certainly looking forward to seeing Malcolm Brogdon and Victor Oladipo share the backcourt together. Brogdon, when healthy, has been carrying the Pacers on offense sans Oladipo. His job will get a lot easier once Oladipo is playing like the All-Star he is.
Oladipo has career averages of 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 402 games with the Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder and Pacers. Indiana fans will have to be patient with Oladipo because he’s going to need some time to adjust to his new teammates and get back to his old form after a long time on the sidelines.
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