On Tuesday, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 105-102 at home, improving to 19-9 overall and 6th in the Eastern Conference. As has been a staple of theirs over the years, the Pacers have a pretty balanced scoring attack with five players scoring in double figures: Malcolm Brogdon (19.1 points per game), T.J. Warren (17.8 points per game), Domantas Sabonis (17.7 points per game), Jeremy Lamb (14.6 points per game), and Myles Turner (11.1 points per game). When you have so many different weapons, you're a very difficult team to stop both at home and on the road.
That all said, the Pacers appear to be lacking at least one additional weapon, which is where Victor Oladipo comes in. Oladipo hasn't played all season due to a knee injury and it remains unclear when he'll return. His absence is nothing small as he averaged 18.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.7 steals per game last season. He's their best player on paper.
The good news for the Pacers is that so far at least, they're playing really well without him. They're on pace to make the playoffs and are keeping themselves within striking distance of a top four seed in the East for when he returns. Assuming he does return this season and is able to play like his regular self, this Pacers team just might make a run at the Eastern Conference crown.
What makes Oladipo so good is that he's a complete two-way player. It's not just the points. It's the rebounding, the assists, and the steals. He does a little bit of everything and knows how to get it done on both ends of the floor. Guys like him are invaluable and truly make a difference on their teams. He's the kind of player every coach wishes that they had.
When talking about which teams could come out of the East this year, don't sleep on the Pacers. They're already one of the better teams in the league and are still awaiting the return of their best player. That should have everyone in the East on notice.
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