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Pacers Rank: It’s still Victor Oladipo’s city and team

ByBen Gibson|
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 18th: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics on December 18, 2017 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 18th: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics on December 18, 2017 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)

After missing a week or so, we’re back to update who is having the best and worst time with the Indiana Pacers.

So a few things happened since the last Pacers Rank, but one thing hasn’t changed: This is Victor Oladipo’s team.

On December 1, the Indiana Pacers were 12-10 and sitting in sitting in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. When the month started, there were concerns that reality was ready to crash in on Victor Oladipo and the rest of the Pacers when the month. December was rarely kind to either.

But this time around, Indiana is 6-4 headed into tonight’s contest against the Brooklyn Nets, and we know just how close they were to picking up what would have been a seventh win this month. For now, they’ll settle for an 18-14 record, which is good enough for fourth in the Eastern Conference.

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And Victor Oladipo isn’t regressing, either, he’s leading the charge. After averaging 22.3 points a game on 46.1% shooting in November, Oladipo kicked it up a notch or ten for the holiday season. After 10 games, his averages for the month stand at 29.1 points a game on 50.5%. While he is playing three more minutes a game, his usage rate remains around 31%. That’s to say he is getting more of his added possessions, not just merely stuffing stats in those added minutes.

Don’t forget those game-winning and game-icing baskets, either.

The best -case scenario of Oladipo becoming an All-Star with the Pacers appears to just be an eventuality now.

Oladipo isn’t the only one who stepped up his game in December, but he is still the biggest story for the Indiana Pacers right now.

Next: Lance Stephenson's most absurd moments

The Pacers are ready to battle the Brooklyn Nets tonight as Indiana looks to clinch the season series after winning the first two.

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