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Here are 4 Indiana Pacers that stepped up in Victor Oladipo’s absence

By Ben Gibson

LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers smiles during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 29, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers smiles during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on November 29, 2018 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Bojan Bogdanovic of the Indiana Pacers shoots a three-pointer
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 31: Bojan Bogdanovic #44 of the Indiana Pacers shoots the ball against the New York Knicks on October 31, 2018 at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Bojan Bogdanovic: Another primary scoring option?

Bojan Bogdanovic was always a key to the Indiana Pacers success. Often their secondary offensive option behind Victor Oladipo, the Croatian’s consistency — through a few rough spots along the way — often was what pushed Indiana’s score high enough to win games, even if he didn’t get enough credit.

But with Oladipo in street clothes, someone had to step up. Bojan couldn’t reside in his usual role of sidekick to the team’s star. The Pacers weren’t going to win if he did.

Now it looks like Indiana has another, more primary, scoring option. Bogdanovic’s scoring rose to 19.6 points a game. He’s the 30th leading scorer in the NBA since Oladipo’s departure. Not to overstate it, but for a player seen merely as an occasional shooter and often called inconsistent, it’s hard to say he hasn’t risen to the occasion.

Even before Oladipo was on the shelf, Bojan changed the way he attacked the basket. A season ago, he passed in 28.1 percent of the time. He was perhaps too willing to give up the ball and didn’t force defenders to follow him to the basket. This season, he is scoring more by driving and taking the ball to the rim, passing it only 18.5 percent of the time.

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The difference is an increase in scoring and forcing defenders to play him differently. You could hedge off him a little or worry more about him shooting 3-pointers last season.

This season defenders respect that he can burn them on the way to the basket, giving him more room to shoot 3-pointer (and making 46.3 since Oladipo left). The other benefit is when he does pass, he might find his teammates more open than they were a season ago.

Bojan isn’t an All-Star by any means, but the way he has played since the Hawks game shows that he’s not inconsistent at all. The Pacers relied on him for nearly a month now and have a winning record to show for it.

Can he keep it going once Oladipo returns? That’s to be seen, but he was doing some of the same things with Oladipo around. If Indiana can rely on him similarly once Victor returns, then the Pacers offense got just a bit more versatile.

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