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With just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Pacers were down seven to the Nuggets. They had trailed by as many as 19 and had rallied back to make it a game again.
Then Victor Oladipo exploded for one of the most incredible late-game surges across the league this season. Thanks to him, Indiana forced overtime and won, 126-116.
Oladipo set a new career-high 47 points on 15-of-28 (53.6 percent) shooting from the field and 6-of-12 shooting from downtown. He scored 32 points in the second half, including eight of Indiana’s last 10 fourth quarter points and six points in overtime.
The Pacers scored the last eight points of the fourth quarter, then held Denver to only two points in OT.
Oladipo’s buckets weren’t gimmes, either. He had to earn each one of them, like the tough, high-arcing finger roll he banked in over Wilson Chandler to bring Indiana within four.
41 points from @VicOladipo in regulation. (His career high is 45.) pic.twitter.com/E3wUEVZxJj
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 11, 2017
And this three in overtime that extended Indy’s lead to seven:
Victor. Oladipo. #NBA pic.twitter.com/DLcJtKq5H6
— ProCity Hoops™ (@ProCityHoops) December 11, 2017
Oladipo has come through in the clutch for Indiana, with recent signature moments against Chicago and Cleveland. And after yet another heroic late-game performance, the Pacers’ new star could be looking at the first All-Star nod of his career.