The Miami Heat needed a guy like Victor Oladipo and just before he went down, he was starting to look exactly like himself.
For weeks, there was found optimism from head coach, Erik Spoelstra, of an Oladipo return before the postseason, but the Heat ultimately came to a decision to shut down the 29 year-old guard for the remainder of the year. However, nothing subtracted the excitement around the Heat fanbase in wake of Oladipo’s debut.
This was once an elite two-way player, who was recently considered a top shooting guard in the league when he was healthy.
In his first two games against the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, Oladipo demonstrated an all-around ability which had been well coveted since the Orlando Magic drafted him second overall in 2013.
There were short glimpses of elite playmaking and defensive versatility, as Oladipo tallied exactly five assists with two steals in both outings against Cleveland and Golden State. Despite struggling to score efficiently in both of those outings — as he combined for just 14 points on 5-of-21 shooting, Oladipo seemingly fit the Heat’s lineups like a glove.
He looked as great as ever from a physical standpoint, moved his feet defensively, and added a few well-timed cuts offensively, all while establishing some early chemistry with Bam Adebayo in pick-and-roll situations.