| |
|
NBA -- New season brings new hope for Pacers
By Jon Moskowich
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 21 Oct 2019
Oladipo.
INDIANA -- The Indiana Pacers were well on their way to a solid 2018-19 season, charging in with a 26-13 record before the annual NBA All-Star break when tragedy struck.
On January 23, 2019 while playing against the eventual champions Toronto Raptors, Victor Oladipo, the undisputed leader of the team, ruptured his quad tendon and was lost for the remainder of the season.
At the time of the mishap, Oladipo was averaging 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds in 5.2 assists in the 36 games in which he had played. It was a devastating loss the Pacers couldn't recover from.
Although the Pacers managed to make to playoffs, finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 48-34 won-lost record, they were bumped off by the Boston Celtics in the opening round.
But as a new season dawns, new hope rises.
And Victor Oladipo will be coming back.
There is to exact timetable when he will will return to the starting lineup, but Oladipo joined the team's 5-on-5 practice a few days ago and the forecast is promising.
."I feel like I've gotten better in a lot of attributes, not only as a man, but in my game as well," Oladipo told the Indianapolis Star after a day of drills at the team's practice facilities in downtown Indianapolis.
Not only is Oladipo determined to return, he is stronger and better than ever.
"I've been working on things you normally don't get to work on, and I'm looking forward to showcasing these things eventually when I get back. But in the meantime, I'm just taking it slow, one day at a time and doing whatever it takes to help this team."
Even with a healthy Oladipo, the Pacers are still likely to be looking up to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers in the crowded Eastern Conference which has become so wide open since Kawhi Leomard abandoned Toronto for the Los Angeles Clippers.
But Indiana is still much better off with him than without.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Jon Moskowich.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Former World Champions Collide as the Philippines’ Marlon Tapales Faces Japan’s Ryosuke Iwasa for the Interim IBF Super Bantamweight Title
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019RYDER – SIZE DIFFERENCE WILL PLAY INTO MY HANDS
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019Split-T Management's Ivan Golub and Ardreal Holmes in action TONIGHT!!in Utah
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019CARLOS 'THE SOLUTION' MORALES AND MERCITO 'NO MERCY' GESTA FIGHT TO A TECHNICAL MAJORITY DRAW IN FRONT OF SOLD OUT BELASCO THEATER
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019 Amilcar Vidal and Zach Prieto Both Predicting Slugfest When They Square Off This Friday on ShoBox: The New Generation From WinnaVegas Casino in Sloan, Iowa
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019Knicks spoil Porzingis’ homecoming, defeat Mavericks 106-103
By Oliver Iglesias, Fri, 15 Nov 2019Women’s Baseball: Philippines earns no lower than fourth in BFA ranking and Top 10 in world
By Eddie Alinea, Fri, 15 Nov 2019ARIZALA RECEIVES 3M YEN AID FROM JAPAN BOXING ORGANIZATION
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019Sid Vicera Sees Thailand, Vietnam Crowding PH in SEAG Boxing
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Fri, 15 Nov 2019ERIK VEGA VS. ALBERTO PALMETTA OFFICIAL WEIGHTS, QUOTES AND PHOTOS FOR SHOBOX: THE NEW GENERATION TOMORROW LIVE ON SHOWTIME®
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019Punching in Puebla: Navarrete-Horta and Ancajas-Gonzalez World Championship Doubleheader LIVE on ESPN+ December 7
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019CHESS -- GM Antonio Wins 3rd Round Assignment in World Seniors Championships in Romania
By Marlon Bernardino, Fri, 15 Nov 2019EXCLUSIVE CLIP: SONNY LISTON’S MYSTERIOUS LOSS TO CASSIUS CLAY IN FIRST LOOK AT PARIAH: THE LIVES AND DEATHS OF SONNY LISTON
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT BEKTEMIR 'BULLY' MELIKUZIEV SIGNS CO-PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENT WITH GOLDEN BOY AND WORLD OF BOXING
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019NBA Daily: Celtics Survive Beal’s 44 to Beat Wizards 140-133
By Reylan Loberternos, Fri, 15 Nov 2019The Beard Shines Bright Against Kawhi and The Clippers
By John Holtz, Fri, 15 Nov 2019Legendary coach Al Mitchell going from corner into HOF
By , Fri, 15 Nov 2019MPBL TEAM EXEC HAILS PACMAN’S LEGAL ACTION VS. GAME FIXERS
By Aquiles Z. Zonio, Thu, 14 Nov 2019SMITH: ANFIELD DISAPPEARS IF I LOSE TO RYDER
By , Thu, 14 Nov 2019NBA -- T-Wolves spurn skidding Spurs, 129-114
By Phil Hatzitheodorou, Thu, 14 Nov 2019Will Casimero sock it to Tete?
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 14 Nov 2019Bantamweight and Featherweight, New Pinoy Niche Weight Classes?
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso, Thu, 14 Nov 2019Blue Chip Prospects Richard Medina and Hector Coronado Return This Saturday in San Antonio TX
By , Thu, 14 Nov 2019Rockets, James Harden (on fire) beat Pelicans 122-116 in The Crescent City on Veteran’s Appreciation Night
By Emmanuel Rivera, RRT, Thu, 14 Nov 2019 |
|
|
|
|
|
