The Indiana Pacers are entering the 2019-20 season as an underrated contender in the Eastern Conference. While they added a lot of talent this offseason, there are a lot of questions surrounding the future of star shooting guard Victor Oladipo, who went down with a ruptured quad in the middle of last season.
Unfortunately, due to the timing of the injury, Oladipo will be unable to start the season this year. He is currently expected to be back on the court at some point in either December or January, but the Pacers will have to make do without him until then.
Last season with the Pacers in 36 games, Oladipo ended up averaging 18.8 points per game to go along with 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals. He shot 42.3 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 34.3 percent from the three-point line. Not a bad season, but it was a bit of a down year from his first season with the Pacers.
At 27 years old, Oladipo is looking to prove those who doubt his ability to come back stronger wrong. He has been adamant that this injury will actually help him in the big picture. This season, the Pacers are going to get a look at him, even though he may never be at 100 percent at any point this year.
All of that being said, let's dive in and take a look at three bold predictions for Oladipo this season.
3. He Will Come Back Before January
While the Pacers have made it clear that they will not be placing a timeline on Oladipo at this point in time, it has been revealed that December or January is the targeted time. Even with that being known, there are many that don't think he will end up hitting the floor until mid-January.
Despite the doubters, Oladipo has been attacking his rehab process with a passion. He wants to make a return as soon as possible and can't wait to get back on an NBA court. Oladipo will make his return in December for the Pacers.
2. Oladipo Will Shoot Over 40 Percent from Three-Point Range
One of the good things that could come from this injury is improved shooting from the Pacers' star. Just like Paul George after his broken leg, Oladipo has been working hard on his shooting. After all, when you can't walk, jump, or run, the shooting stroke is all one truly can work on.
Oladipo has posted quite a few videos this summer getting up lots of shots. He has looked great and the shots seem to be falling at a very high level. Even though it was tough seeing him go through this, his three-point percentage will rise to over 40 percent.
1. At Least 18 Points Per Game
Finally, there are quite a few who doubt what the Pacers will get out of Oladipo when he does return. Many think that he will be a shell of his former self and won't be able to make a major impact for the team.
Once again, Victor Oladipo is ready to prove everyone wrong like he has done throughout his entire basketball career. He will come back and average at least 18 points per game. That kind of production is going to be a major boost for the Pacers.
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