Heat's Oladipo suffers season-ending knee injury
Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo will miss the remainder of the postseason after sustaining a torn patellar tendon in his left knee during the club's 121-99 Game 3 win over the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, the team announced Sunday.
Oladipo was hurt after a drive to the basket late in the fourth quarter of Saturday's contest. The two-time All-Star immediately grabbed his left knee and was subsequently helped off the court.
Oladipo has struggled to stay healthy since rupturing a quad tendon in his right knee in January 2019. Over the last four campaigns, he has made only 152 regular season appearances.
"Yes, there are injuries. That is a part of this game. We understand that," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters Sunday, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. "But the human side of it, when you see somebody that's overcome so much and he's done it time and time and time again, and he always does it with an incredible positive spirit and a smile on his face - even last night ... that's why I admire him so much."
Oladipo averaged 10.7 points, 3.5 assists, three boards, and 1.4 steals across 42 contests in 2022-23. The Indiana product has provided Miami with some solid minutes off the bench in this year's playoffs, posting 11.5 points per game and shooting 40% from deep in 22.7 minutes.
Oladipo signed a two-year, $18-million deal last summer, which includes a $9.5-million player option for next season.
Miami is already without starting guard Tyler Herro, while Jimmy Butler checked out of Game 3 early due to a bruised glute.
The Heat hold a 2-1 series lead heading into Monday's tilt at the Kaseya Center.