Oladipo plays hero again, Pacers beat Celtics
(Victor Oladipo rises up for the game-winner over Boston on Saturday night. Photo by: Pacers Sports and Entertainment)
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — This is Victor Oladipo’s city, and we’re all witnesses of his magic. After a poor overall shooting night, Oladipo once again put on a show when it counted the most. His pull-up three gave the Pacers the lead with 3.4 seconds to go, and Indiana held on to beat the Boston Celtics 102-101 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“I just tried to get to my spot, shoot with confidence, and win the game,” Oladipo said. “I practice that shot for moments like this, and moments down the line. When it’s time to win, nothing else matters. You have to forget about the rest of the game and just go out and play. That’s what we’re doing.”
Oladipo finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, posting a double-double for the second straight night. He has scored 20 or more points in nine straight games- continuing to add to his career-high. Maybe the best part? He’s been coming up huge despite battling bronchitis.
“This really reminded me of a shot he hit last year,” said Pacers Head Coach Nate McMillan. “It was a close ball game, he pulls up and hits the three. He wants that shot. He didn’t hesitate.”
Oladipo after his game-winner- pic.twitter.com/IMWDXg5SIA
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) November 4, 2018
McMillan continued: “I told our guys we want to go out there and play like we believe we can win this game. The Celtics are a very good team, with a lot of talent over there. All I asked our guys to do was play like you believe you can win. And they did.”
Playing on a back-to-back and for the third time in four nights, the Pacers were still able to end Boston’s four-game winning streak. They also ended Boston’s three-game winning streak in Indianapolis.
“Everybody has to play back-to-backs,” said Darren Collison. “We can’t make excuses. Even though we’re playing a really good team, we have to find a way to win the game, and we did tonight.”
Another example of how times have changed in the NBA- The Pacers gave up 19 3-pointers in this game, a franchise record, and they were still able to secure a victory.
The Pacers trailed by as many as 13 points in the 2nd quarter, but continued to fight. They received another strong effort from the second unit, as Tyreke Evans scored 17 points, while Domantas Sabonis chipped in 12 points, nine rebounds, and five assists. The Pacers are now 7-1 this season when the second unit scores 30 or more points.
Since starting the season at 2-2, the Pacers have gone 5-1 in their last six games. They’ve looked a lot like the second half version of themselves from a year ago, but with more depth. With two more big home games coming up against Houston and Philadelphia, fans can look forward to more exciting basketball next week.
It’s amazing how many of these moments Victor Oladipo has given us already. Just incredible. pic.twitter.com/MMypSylXbf
— iPacers.com (@iPacersblog) November 4, 2018
