Oladipo flashes potential days after falling out of Heat rotation. Also, a Spoelstra update
After dropping out of the rotation last week, guard Victor Oladipo stepped back into a featured role for one night and turned in his best performance in a Miami Heat uniform.
With four rotation players held out on the second night of the Eastern Conference-leading Heat’s final back-to-back set of the season, Oladipo played a season-high 27 minutes off the bench in Sunday’s 114-109 road win over the Toronto Raptors. He finished with 21 points with the help of 6-of-9 shooting on threes, three rebounds, four assists and two steals.
The 21 points represented a season high and the six made threes tied a career-high for Oladipo, who returned last month from an 11-month recovery from surgery to repair the quadriceps tendon in his right knee.
“It was amazing to see what he did,” said assistant coach Chris Quinn, who served as the Heat’s head coach Sunday with Erik Spoelstra entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols. “These are things that we have seen daily behind the scenes. It’s the hard work, it’s the grit, it’s the grind. Obviously, coming off of what he came off injury wise and for him to get to this point, it’s just still part of the process of him becoming what he can be.”
But for Oladipo, he believes Sunday’s display is simply who he is. After all, it was just a few seasons ago that Oladipo was voted to the All-Star Game, NBA All-Defensive First Team and All-NBA Third Team while also earning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award in 2017-18 with the Indiana Pacers.
“This is what I’m used to,” Oladipo, 29, said. “It’s nothing spectacular or anything like that. This is who I am.”
The question now becomes: When the Heat’s roster returns to full health, will Oladipo again find himself out of the rotation?
Oladipo was given an opportunity to play Sunday with Jimmy Butler (left big toe irritation), Dewayne Dedmon (right ankle sprain), P.J. Tucker (left knee irritation) and Gabe Vincent (right big toe contusion) missing the Heat’s win over the Raptors.
Oladipo could have another chance to play extended minutes in Tuesday’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets at FTX Arena, as the Heat takes a cautious approach with players late in the regular season. Dedmon, Kyle Lowry (rest), Caleb Martin (right calf contusion), Markieff Morris (left hip flexor strain), Tucker and Vincent are listed as questionable for the game.
“I’ve just been focused on improving. I can’t really control the circumstance or what goes on,” said Oladipo, who had been held out of three straight games before playing Sunday. “But I can control my mind-set and what I got going on. So that’s what I was focused on. When my number was called today, I was ready.”
Oladipo’s 6-of-9 night from three-point range isn’t sustainable for any NBA player. But Oladipo’s energy, quickness and athleticism flashed in Sunday’s game, and that’s most encouraging for the Heat.
There was Oladipo’s driving dunk in the fourth quarter and hustle plays throughout the night that led to three deflections, one recovered loose ball and a drawn charge. Players defended by Oladipo (6-4, 213) on Sunday shot just 3 of 8 (37.5 percent) from the field, according to NBA tracking stats.
“As good as he played offensively, he was equally as good on that end of the floor,” Quinn said of Oladipo’s defense in Toronto. “It allows us to switch a lot of matchups. He can guard the ball 1-on-1, keep the ball in front of him. Also, he’s well-schooled on NBA defense, so he knows when to help, how to help.”
Sunday provided a glimpse at what Oladipo has the potential to provide during the playoffs. But it remains to be seen if he’ll play enough minutes to have an opportunity to make that type of impact.
“I just got to keep getting better, keep improving, taking it one day at a time,” Oladipo said.
SPOELSTRA’S STATUS
The Heat could have to play without Spoelstra on the sideline for most of the week.
Spoelstra entered the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols on Sunday, the same day the Heat was subject to a round of COVID-19 testing upon entering Canada in order to return home because of U.S. restrictions. He’s the only member of the team’s traveling party who’s currently in protocols.
Spoelstra was able to return home on Sunday night by driving to Buffalo, N.Y., and then taking a private flight back to Miami.
But Spoelstra could be forced to miss most of what’s remaining on the regular-season schedule. The Heat has just three regular-season games left to play: Tuesday vs. Hornets, Friday vs. Atlanta Hawks and Sunday at Orlando Magic.
For those who test positive, the quarantine period is five days for asymptomatic and vaccinated NBA players and coaches to return if testing data shows they’re no longer at risk to be infectious.
Spoelstra’s five-day quarantine period runs through Friday, which means he won’t be able to return until Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Magic unless he produces consecutive negative PCR tests at least 24 hours apart before then.
▪ The Heat’s final regular-season game, against the Magic in Orlando on Sunday, will begin at 7 p.m., the NBA announced.
This story was originally published April 4, 2022 at 2:04 PM.
