The Miami Heat played their final game of the season on April 10. Without the majority of their regular rotation players, they lost to the Orlando Magic.
The Heat finished the season with an impressive 53-29 record, placing them at the very top of the Eastern Conference. The loss against the Magic did not mean too much.
It would have been a nice game to win, but it ultimately did not play any role in the standings. Hence why hardly any rotation players were participating in the game.
What this game did provide was an opportunity for those who did not get a chance to play a big chunk of minutes to shine.
Victor Oladipo took full advantage of this opportunity. Originally, it seemed as though Oladipo would become a regular member of the Heat’s rotation once he fully recovered from his knee surgery.
The Miami Heat played their final game of the regular season on April 10. Victor Oladipo looked like his old self again, scoring a most efficient 40 points.
That didn’t go quite according to plan. He played fine throughout his games with the Heat, but with a little bit of rust.
The Heat were already in a zone and winning games. Their recipe for the season had already been figured out—meaning, it didn’t make too much sense to squeeze Oladipo into the mixture so late into the season.
Against the Orlando Magic, Oladipo got the chance to play 36 minutes. During his playing time, he put his full effort into the game.
That led to a 40-point performance, complemented by 10 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals. He shot an efficient 13 for 22 from the field and 5 for 11 from three.
What a performance! This was a great game for Victor Oladipo to have.
He has worked so hard to recover from nagging injuries. This night proved that his effort paid off.
It remains to be seen how long Oladipo will be in a Miami Heat uniform. Spoelstra and the rest of the team would probably love to have him back with a chance to showcase his abilities over the course of a full season.
Even if he does not return, he is an extremely hard worker who put on a masterful performance. We should be very happy for him!