Victor Oladipo has displayed great athleticism throughout his career, and the Miami Heat guard, who spent three years playing college ball in Indiana, is starting to feel fit again after several years plagued with injuries.
Oladipo threw a huge dunk at Walker Kessler, which seemed to spring into his leg.
The dunk occurred in the 4th quarter of the Heat’s game against the Utah Jazz. Oladip started at the top of the key and was guarded by Kelly Olynyk. He blew Olynyk so Kessler, who was guarding heat center Bam Adebayo in paint, switched and stopped the 6-foot-4 guard. However, he arrived too late.
The Heat ended up winning 126-123 and Oladipo was a big reason for that. He scored 23 points off the bench in 35 minutes. Adebayo gave Miami his 32 and Tyler his hero added his 29, including his 3-pointer at the buzzer, to clinch the win. It’s the Heat’s third victory of the week, and he’s gone 8-4 in his last 12 games.
Hero’s final goal put the perfect exclamation mark on Miami’s powerful attacking outing.
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“The ball was flying” Hero said. “We were playing for each other, stopping defensively and turning it into easy buckets on the other side.”
Miami defeated Utah, 54-32, in the paint, earning their third win in four games. The Heat had a 51% field goal shooting percentage, and in the end he had 45 goals and he had 32 assists.
“That’s what we need,” Adebayo said. “When everyone is involved, jumping around and shooting, that’s what makes us a better team. The ball doesn’t stick.”
Oladipo is in his third season with the Heat, but has played in only 11 games this season due to injuries. His return coincides with a time when his heat is heating up. Averaged 26 minutes per game, 9.4 points. He played in Houston for one year and Indiana for the Pacers where he played four years. He was drafted 2nd overall in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic and spent three years there before being traded to Oklahoma City.
Oladipo played for Tom Crean’s Indiana for three years from 2010-2013. He was a first-team All-American in his 2013 when the Hoosiers won the Big His Ten and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for part of that year. Oladipo was named Sporting News’ National Player of the Year.