On March 4, Beijing time, the NBA regular season, the Heat reversed the Nets 113-107 away from home, with a record of 42 wins and 22 losses, ranking first in the East. In this game, the Heat lacked butler, Lowry, PJ Tucker and many other important players, and still reversed the victory over the Nets, showing the team's good competitive state and proud lineup depth.
The biggest feature of the Heat is that there are many players and the thickness of the lineup is proud of the whole league. The current Heat are not yet a complete body of the team. Their injury list also features two tough men, Maurice and Oladipo. Oladipo will reportedly make a comeback next Tuesday in a game against the Rockets.
Last season, Oladipo traded from the Rockets to the Heat, but he made just four appearances for the Heat, averaging 12.0 points per game, down from his 21.2 points in 20 games for the Rockets. On May 13 last year, Oladipo underwent surgery to repair the right quadriceps tendon, and the two-time All-Star player never played again.
Before the injury, Oladipo was a player with both offense and defense. The 2017-18 season was his career-high, averaging a career-high 23.1 points and 2.4 steals per game. Not only was he named an All-Star, he also won the Fastest Improving Player Award and made it to the best defensive team.
But Oladipo's career took a turn halfway through the following season. Since the 18-19 season, Oladipo's attendance has been a big problem. Since his return in January 2020, he has only played 52 matches.
Now, Oladipo is making a comeback. Maybe he still needs time to find form on the offensive end, but on the defensive end, he should be quick to integrate into the team. When paired with All-Star Forward Jimmy Butler, the two of them should create a lot of defensive pressure on the opponent's outside.
Currently, the Heat are no. 1 in the East with a 41-22 record. The Heat rank fifth in the league defensively, averaging 104.9 points per game. Adding Oladipo to the squad will further enhance their squad.