Victor Oladipo calls season debut for Heat 'a great first go-round' after 11-month injury absence

Victor Oladipo's season debut Monday was relatively understated. The former All-Star guard played just 15 minutes in the Miami Heat's 123-106 victory over the Houston Rockets, but he made four of his seven shots to contribute 11 points off the bench. All in all, it was a successful opening act for Oladipo as he attempts to give the Heat one last major piece for their championship push.

"I'm still getting stronger. Still getting better," Oladipo said after the game. "That was a great first go-round, getting my feet wet. But I'm excited and looking forward to the year. Just gotta keep getting better. It's not always going to be perfect, but that's OK."

Oladipo has struggled with injuries for the past several years, most recently undergoing quad surgery in May of 2021 soon after arriving in Miami in the first place. He re-signed with the Heat over the summer knowing that it would be quite some time before he returned, but that if he did so successfully, he'd be joining one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat currently hold the No. 1 seed, and that has created a different set of questions for Oladipo. Reserve guards Caleb Martin and Gabe Vincent have both thrived in his absence, and Kyle Lowry, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro are all entrenched in the rotation. Oladipo now has roughly a month to prove to the Heat that he is not only healthy, but belongs in the postseason rotation over those who have thrived for them all season.

Monday was a relatively strong first impression. This is a Heat roster that needs its perimeter players to space the floor, and Oladipo, a middling shooter at his best, made two of his three 3-point attempts. If he can re-earn his status as a perimeter stopper, it would go a long way in supporting what is already perhaps the NBA's best defense.

The Heat are already championship contenders. If they're getting the best version of Oladipo, the one who went head-to-head with LeBron James for seven games in 2018, they're going to be an absolutely terrifying opponent in the postseason. It's still far too early to tell whether or not that player still exists, but Monday was a step in the right direction.

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