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8p9s Roundtable: Victor Oladipo is clearly an All-Star for the Indiana Pacers

By Jonathan Matthes

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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Victor Oladipo of the Indiana Pacers
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – DECEMBER 23: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers celebrates against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 23, 2017 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. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

Victor Oladipo’s absence only illustrated how important he is to the Indiana Pacers’ success. He is clearly worthy of a spot in the All-Star game.

What are Victor Oladipo’s chances to make the All-Star Team?

Will Furr: I think they’re excellent, barring any wild fall off. Oladipo’s 4th in the East in scoring, and we all know scoring affects voting more than anything else. Fans love them some points.

Dipo’s clutch buckets and unexpected blocked shots add up to an ESPN highlight reel season that fans won’t be able to resist. It doesn’t hurt that he’s actually been one of the two or three best guards in the East.

October felt like a mirage. November felt like it had to end. December’s almost over, and he didn’t stopped. This is real. Victor Oladipo is an All-Star.

Jonathan Matthes: Should be 100-percent. Vic’s been in a dual, all season long, with Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan for the title of best Shooting Guard in the East. So the real question, for me, is who’s the East starter: Vic or DeMar?

An argument can be made either way, I love this matchup. They couldn’t be more different from one another. DeRozan plays with a relaxed manner, Oladipo a frenetic one. DeRozan loves his mid-range game, while Oladipo is one of the best 3 point shooters in the league. Both are clear All-Stars.

Ryan Eggers: As of today, pretty high. It’s hard to imagine a hard fall in Oladipo’s play after seeing a sample size of 30+ games. Leading a team that currently holds a homecourt seed in the East along with a 25-5-4 48.6/42.5/79.3 statline is more than enough to warrant an All-Star selection.

Will he get a starter spot? One of them will obviously go to Kyrie Irving, and he has some stiff competition with blue bloods like John Wall and DeMar DeRozan for that second spot. — Ryan Eggers

He’s also been getting enough buzz. His big performances haven’t gone unnoticed by the media and the NBA as a whole, and his myriad of clutch shots have been key in getting his name out there this year.

Will he get a starter spot? One of them will obviously go to Kyrie Irving, and he has some stiff competition with blue bloods like John Wall and DeMar DeRozan for that second spot.

Ultimately, I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up being selected as a reserve instead, but I’d be shocked if he was snubbed entirely.

Ben Renz: They’ve gotta be fairly high right now. Even a major regression over the next couple months couldn’t hurt him too much at this stage. He’s gonna get votes. The numbers are All-Star worthy on their own — 24.9 PPG, 42% shooting from deep, 1.8 steals per game — and fans are talking about him. The sore knee shouldn’t hurt him much unless he continues to miss time (eeeeek).

There are only a few more deserving guards in the East this year, and barring some quick and momentous leap from lesser-known guys, Dipo will be an All-Star this year. And it’s sorta looking like he could be one for the foreseeable future, too.

East: Gotta be 99.99999999% here. If this injury lasts for too long and he can’t play in the all-star game is pretty much the only chance he doesn’t end up making it. His stats, and his story, pretty much make him a lock.

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