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Indiana Pacers: Why both Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner could be All-Stars

By Evan Massey

Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images
Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images /
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Why should Indiana Pacers fans expect both Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team?

The 2017-18 NBA season is upon us and the Indiana Pacers are one team with a very cloudy outlook. After trading Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason, the Pacers are in a re-tooling mode that could keep them in playoff contention. That being said, it is hard to predict exactly what will happen with them this season.

George was the face of the Pacers’ franchise, but made it clear that he did not intend to re-sign with Indiana in free agency following the 2017-18 season. Unfortunately, that forced general manager Kevin Pritchard to pull the trigger on a trade.

Indiana acquired both Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis from the Thunder in exchange for George. It was a return that the national media did not think was good enough, but the Pacers strongly disagree with that sentiment. They believe that Oladipo is ready to become a star and are very high on the potential that Sabonis brings for the future.

Myles Turner is now the face of the Pacers franchise and couldn’t be more excited. He showed major progress last season and is ready to take the NBA by storm this season.

Now, both Oladipo and Turner have their sights set on something big. That would be making the Eastern Conference All-Star team this season. Why should fans expect to see both players accomplish their goals and give the Pacers two All-Stars?

First and foremost, the Eastern Conference has been drained of stars. Just this past offseason, All-Stars Paul George, Carmelo Anthony, Jimmy Butler and Paul Millsap all went West. That has opened up a few slots on the All-Star team.

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Oladipo has been held back his entire career, but is finally about to be unleashed on the league. Last season, Oladipo averaged 15.9 points per game behind Russell Westbrook, while also chipping in 4.3 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He shot a career-high 44.2 percent from the field and knocked down 36.1 percent of his 3-point attempts, which was also a career-high.

He has been very open about his excitement to join the Pacers. It is somewhat of a homecoming for him, as he played his college career at Indiana University. Oladipo has said that he thinks he is ready to become a star with the Pacers and cannot wait to prove it to the league.

"“Dominate, man. I just want to go out there and dominate. I want to pick everybody up, lead and make everybody better, and at the same time try to do something special.”"

That kind of attitude will take Oladipo far. He will be the No. 1 scoring option for the Pacers in the backcourt, which will take his numbers to a new level. No one has ever questioned his ability and the NBA will see it in full force this season.

Being the Pacers’ No. 1 scorer and having a very good chance to average over 20 points per game will make Oladipo a threat to make the All-Star team. Add in his ability to create for teammates that has yet to be unleashed and his defensive ability and Oladipo is a good bet to become an All-Star in his first year with Indiana.

Turner, on the other hand, is widely expected to make the All-Star team. Perhaps the biggest reason for his chances is the fact that the frontcourt positions have completely opened up. There are very few frontcourt All-Stars from last year that are still in the conference.

Last season in Indiana, Turner averaged 14.5 points per game to go along with 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game. He was able to shoot 51.1 percent from the floor and connected on 34.8 percent of his 3-point attempts. Believe it or not, Turner shot just 10.7 times per game, which will go up in a big way this season.

Outside of Oladipo, Turner should attempt the most shots on the Pacers’ roster. Nate McMillan is known for playing through the post, which means a lot of touches for Turner in the post and mid-range area. He has been working on post game hard this offseason and has focused on getting stronger and more consistent.

Despite the media being down on the Pacers, Turner made a bold prediction and stated that he thinks they will make the playoffs this season.

"“I feel like we’re definitely going to be overlooked this year. A lot of people look at us as young team that’s going to rebuild, but we’re a young team that’s trying to compete. We’ve got a lot of guys who can come in and make an impact right away. I expect to make the playoffs this year.”"

He also stated that he thinks the All-Star game is “a very good possibility this year” when asked about his chances.

Turner’s talent, along with the depleted star power in the Eastern Conference, bode well for his All-Star chances. He is one of the league’s best up-and-coming players and will be able to showcase his full potential this season.

Oladipo left a comment that should leave Pacers fans with a lot of hope and excitement for the future. He talked about the new duo of himself and Turner and made it clear that he thinks the sky is the limit and that he can’t wait to be a part of it for years to come.

"“I think we’re going to be a very dynamic duo. I think it’s going to work out well. I’m going to help him and he’s going to help me. I’m looking forward to being a great duo for years to come.”"

Next: Top 10 candidates for 2017-18 NBA MVP Award

Expect to see Oladipo and Turner take over the Pacers both this season and for many seasons to come. They may not reach their goal, but there are quite a few reasons to expect both of them to represent the Eastern Conference in the All-Star game.

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