The Miami Heat went into the NBA All-Star break on a high.
Coming off a game like the one in which they won on Thursday night, a double-overtime brawl with the Hornets, the Miami Heat should feel really good about getting that tough win and closing the first half of the season as they did.
Sitting in first place in the East, though aesthetically tied with the Chicago Bulls, the Miami Heat are the toast of their conference right now.
The Miami Heat own the head-to-head tiebreaker by being 2-0 against them this regular season, though again, the records look the same.
On top of all of that though, there is another great reason to feel good right now if you are the Miami Heat, though this one is more of a post-All-Star break type of deal.
With the Miami Heat finding a way to get the most out of just a portion of their guys for much of the season, be that due to injury or the COVID protocols, the Heat are about to be as whole as they have ever been this season.
Miami Heat: Victor Oladipo Lurks In the Background Of All-Star Break
While Markieff Morris has been out since late November, after the Nikola Jokic dustup, the enigmatic Victor Oladipo hasn’t played since he went down last season.
Well, one of them looks to be nearing a return, certainly. Here is a thought on Oladipo from Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
"Would I be surprised to see him at practice when the Heat resume Thursday after the All-Star break? No. Nor would be shocked sometimes thereafter if he is upgraded on the injury report to something even as promising as questionable."
That’s not all though, as there is even more evidence that the once, potentially still, electric wingman is back on the horse and close to being on the court again. It comes from the Miami Heat’s G-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
https://twitter.com/SFSkyforce/status/1494031217456553984
This is not a drill people! This is the real thing.
This is Victor Oladipo in a real basketball gym and wearing what appears to be real practice gear. It isn’t in Miami, per se, but being with the Skyforce to play basketball is about as close as you can get to being in the actual Heat practice facility without being there.
Miami Heat: If Victor Oladipo Is Just 65 Percent Of ‘Him’, The East May Be A Wrap
Assigned to Sioux Falls to get some five on five work in, Oladipo looks to be closer to real NBA action than he isn’t. While, again, that’s a great thing for the Miami Heat and those that support them, that isn’t so great for the entirety of the opposition.
The Miami Heat have been one of the best teams in the league and the best team in the East this season with all of their irregularities, issues, and absences. Can you imagine what they can be if they get back just a semi-decent Oladipo?
For every modicum above 65-70 percent of his old self that Oladipo is, the Miami Heat go up a whole other click per percentage point. It’s really that serious.
The Miami Heat have been really good thus far this season. Yes, this is true.
However, at full strength and the absolute complete peak of their powers, they have the opportunity to be downright diabolical and dare it to be said—great.
Only time will tell and the quicker they can get this guy back in the lineup (all of their pieces, really), the better off they’ll be.