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

Aaron Holiday emerges as a scorer

When the Indiana Pacers took Aaron Holiday with the No. 23 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, most people seemed more interested in his family tree than his playing ability. It’s hard to get overly excited about picks later in the draft when you know, statistically speaking, the chances of success are dwindling with each pick.

The last time the Pacers took a rookie of consequence that wasn’t in the top half of the first round it was either Solomon Hill in 2013, who played a key role in a playoff run. If you’re looking for a more significant impact, go back all the way back to 2008 with Roy Hibbert taken at No. 17 (via the Toronto Raptors) or 2005 when the Pacers took Danny Granger with the No. 17 pick as well.

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The point is, it’s hard to hit on impactful players in the second half of the first round or beyond.

So getting a bench scorer out of Aaron Holiday as a rookie counts as a success then as they 23rd pick of this year’s draft. On the season he averages a mere 5.9 points, but in the five-game spurt he had when Oladipo went down, he was averaging 13 points a game.

Now, those post-Dipo averages dropped to 8 points a game, but it’s expected that NBA defenses adjust once they get an idea of what a rookie player can do.

Holiday’s confidence and pedigree all but guarantee he’ll get back to scoring in double-digits again. In both his first shot in the NBA (a made 3-pointer) to his first one once Oladipo went down (another made 3-pointer), it is clear that he’s got a scorer’s mentality.

And despite his small frame, he finishes at the rim with a slightly better the league average percentage.

For now, he’s a deeper bench option that can spark a few points here and there until he makes a counter-adjustment to his opponents. Assuming he can do that, then he certainly is one of the silver linings the Pacers found once Oladipo went down.

And, without getting too far ahead of ourselves, Holiday’s play opens the door to trading one of the Pacers point guards if they are looking to upgrade elsewhere.

There will be changes once Oladipo returns to the lineup — Holiday’s minutes being the most obvious victim. The Pacers can expect some of these numbers to take small bumps, but conceptually speaking, the Pacers can make sure that the opportunities are there for these players to succeed once Oladipo suits up again.