Miami Heat had to lean on unexpected replacements to clinch the series vs Atlanta. Victor Oladipo was one of those surprises as he led Miami with 23 points on 8-of-16 shooting in the series-clinching win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Oladipo appeared grateful for the chance to play again in the highest level helping his team to finish the series. The Heat played without Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry in Game 5 of the first-round series.
“A year ago today I was expecting and waiting for my next surgery,” Oladipo told reporters. “I remember a year ago today, around this time last year, I was sitting in a dark room by myself and just broke down.
Not because I quit, but because I was at the lowest point I could be at. And now, God has put me in this position today so I just made the most of it.”
Oladipo scored 20 or more points for the first time in the playoffs since he did it against the Heat as a member of the Indiana Pacers. Oladipo went through a tough stretch of season-ending injuries.
He appeared in just 96 out of a possible 309 regular-season games the past four years because of knee and quadriceps injuries. However, he never thought of quitting and he stayed poised to return to action.
“I could have done two things. I could have stopped. Or I could have ran right through it,” Oladipo said on his injuries. “And I’m still running through it.”
Oladipo had a limited role in the first four games of the first-round series vs Atlanta. Game 5 was a special moment for him.
“I really admire him for this journey for the last three season, dealing with injuries and frustration. Really working to make himself available for us without a guarantee to play. That’s why everybody roots for him,” Erik Spoelstra said on the veteran guard.
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