Indiana Pacers: 5 reasons to be excited for 2019-20 NBA season

3. Victor Oladipo is coming back!

Oladipo’s injury was the death of the Pacers in 2018-19. His return, whenever it may be, will mark less of a return to the status quo and more of an enhancement to a team that was upgraded sufficiently, so much so that Oladipo could miss the entire season and the Pacers would still look good on paper.

But let’s face it. Jeremy Lamb is no Victor Oladipo.

Oladipo was 12-of-17 on shots in the last five minutes of regulation or in overtime to tie or take the lead, converting at a whopping 70.6 percent. Having a guy who is red hot in the clutch gives the Pacers a chance to win a few games that they shouldn’t. That can be the difference between 48 wins and a road Game 1 in the playoffs and 55 wins and home court in the conference semis.

Oladipo’s health hampered him all of last season. He wasn’t the same after suffering the first injury against the Atlanta Hawks that sidelined him for 11 games in November, and his 42.3 percent shooting and sub-par 34.3 percent from long-range stand testament to his poor health last year.

If he’s back and truly over his injury woes, he can return to the form that sent him to the All-Star Game not just last year as a sort of honorable mention but in 2017-18 as a legitimate force.