Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra revealed that guard Victor Oladipo will play around 15 minutes in his season debut on Monday against the Houston Rockets.
Erik Spoelstra said Victor Oladipo will be limited to about 15 minutes tonight, "We're going to be very mindful, that this is a great step," and "this is celebrating that he's healthy."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 7, 2022
Oladipo, who has been recovering from an injury he suffered during the 2020-21 season, is making his return against the team that traded him to Miami at the trade deadline last season.
The Heat are certainly excited to have the two-time All-Star in the rotation, but he isn’t going to see a full workload just yet.
There are several factors that will determine Oladipo’s role, as Spoelstra is making sure he doesn’t rush Oladipo back into action.
In addition to that, the Heat have a solid rotation at this point in the season, and there is a chance that Spoelstra doesn’t want to mess with the team’s chemistry. The Heat currently hold the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 43-22 record.
Once he is up to speed, Oladipo should give Miami another dynamic scoring threat to rely on this season. For his career, Oladipo averages 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc.
The veteran guard appeared in four games for Miami last season after being traded by Houston.
The Rockets are one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, as they come into this matchup with a 16-48 record.
The Heat and Rockets are scheduled to tip off at 7:30 p.m. EST from FTX Arena in Miami.
