Suspension of NBA season prompts Oladipo to revise routine

 Victor Oladipo was just rounding into form when NBA season was suspended.

His expected increased playing time, his hopes of chasing a home playoff series and taking Indiana Pacers on a deep postseason run went on hold — at least a few more weeks.

w, 14 months after suffering a serious knee injury, he's back home in Miami again, away from teammates again, doing what he can to be ready when games resume.

“It hurt just because it took me a while to come back and n, obviously, this happens and w you miss more," Oladipo said Thusday on a conference call. “I was out re playing, going as best I can, as hard as I can. To say if I was 100 percent out re, I don’t kw if I could say that. I’m just going to try and do my best to get better and get stronger."

A year ago, two-time All-Star Oladipo went home to rehab from surgery on a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee. grueling recovery took a full year to make it back to NBA games and ar ar month to start looking like his old self.

In his last five games, Oladipo averd 18.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals while shooting 47.1 percent from field. His best game was his: 27 points on 9 of 16 shooting and 5 of 7 on 3-pointers with seven rebounds and four assists.

But even if season restarts, Pacers kw y can't just hit go switch. Oladipo must work his way back.

“I think we could adjust as we go but re will be some limitations," Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said Wednesday, ting 40 minutes per game would be too much. “We want to put a plan in place for Victor to come back. But you kw me, we will err on side of caution with Victor, and long term, every day. We do that with of our players. But Victor's situation does create some special, unique circumstances."

Oladipo has adapted by making some changes around house.

He converted his gar into a gym, where he lifts weights regularly along with any or work assigned by team's staff, trainers or his physical rapist.

re are also one or two Zoom meetings each week with his teammates and coaches, next one coming Friday.

, it's t basketball — but it's all y can do at moment.

“I would say way you stay in game shape is you play games," Pritchard said. “Our strength and conditioning staff is checking in on m, y have given (workout) programs to every player. I think one of things that has been most challenging is finding a gym and being only one in that gym.”

That's why Pritchard hopes to get as many Pacers players back to Indianapolis when states do reopen. If thing else, y would at least have workout facilities, face-to-face communication and some semblance of togerness.

Oladipo can't wait.

“Even before this surfaced, I was dealing with trying to come back, trying to get my quickness back, learn how to walk again," he said. “But I found a way and I’m going to keep finding a way until I think I fulfill my potential. And to be honest, I’m t going to stop even when I’ve done that because I always think I can do more."