The Miami Heat won Game 3 against the Milwaukee Bucks, but they may have just lost Victor Oladipo to another injury.
Late in the fourth quarter of the Heat’s eventual 121-99 blowout victory over the Bucks on Saturday, Oladipo was driving to the basket when he got fouled by Bucks big man Bobby Portis. Oladipo lost his footing and fell hard to the floor, immediately grabbing at his left knee.
Victor Oladipo went down and grabbed his knee after this play 😳 pic.twitter.com/oENCnLDQqB
— Backcourt Alerts (@BackcourtAlerts) April 23, 2023
Here is another angle where you can see that Oladipo’s left knee buckled.
Hate to see this for Victor Oladipo but the way the knee buckled it looks like
—Possible Patellar tendon tear pic.twitter.com/eEZoYk6OgD
— Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT (@GameInjuryDoc) April 23, 2023
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after the game that he did not have an update on Oladipo but that “I feel like throwing up right now.”
Erik Spoelstra on Victor Oladipo:
“I feel like throwing up right now, but I don’t know what the diagnosis is. I want to stay positive on this.”
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) April 23, 2023
The former All-Star Oladipo, 30, had been out of Miami’s rotation for much of the season but recently re-entered the mix after Tyler Herro broke his hand earlier in the Milwaukee series (video here).
Another extended absence would be absolutely devastating for Oladipo. He has had trouble staying healthy since tearing his right quad tendon in 2019. For a player who has worked very hard to get back on the floor (and had a strong showing during Miami’s Eastern Conference Finals run last year), you can’t help but feel for Oladipo.
