We no longer need to wonder whether the Indiana Pacers are placing stock in Victor Oladipo’s hot start.
They are.
Here’s what head coach Nate McMillan, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner all had to say on the matter, per the Indianapolis Star‘s Gregg Doyel:
Said Pacers coach Nate McMillan: “No, I think this can be Victor. He has the potential I think to be one of the top players (in the league).”
And Sabonis: “This is Vic. I knew that when I got traded with him. He just needed a team where he’s feeling comfortable in his role.”
Now, to Oladipo. Let’s ask him if we’re seeing the real Victor Oladipo, or if he’s going to come back to –
“That’s a dumb question,” interjects Myles Turner, a player I really liked until this moment. “This is who he is. I’ll answer it for him.”
Oladipo, for the record, agrees with his teammates and head coach. He believes that his blistering start, which includes averaging 23.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.6 steals on career-best shooting percentages, is no temporary hot streak.
He believes, and the rest of the Pacers seem to believe, this is his new normal.
Color me skeptical. The Pacers haven’t played through a particularly tough schedule just yet. Three of their first eight opponents rank inside the top 10 of defensive efficiency, but the other five don’t even crack the top 20.
Give them credit for beating the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday. Celebrate Oladipo for elevating his counting stats without sacrificing efficiency. But the entire Pacers offense, which ranks third in efficiency, feels like a fleeting anomaly that’ll hit solid ground over the next couple weeks. While this isn’t to say Oladipo cannot be one of the NBA’s top players, the early returns suggest we should wait another five to 10 games before declaring this torrid run a new normal.
