The Miami Heat completed their gentleman sweep over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night, dismantling Trae Young once again and getting the 97-94 win at FTX Arena that sent them into the second round of the 2022 NBA playoffs.
Even without Jimmy Butler and Kyle Lowry on the court, Miami found a way to dominate their rivals and secure their participation in the East semis, where either the Philadelphia 76ers or Toronto Raptors will face them to end their dreamed 2021/22 NBA season.
Victor Oladipo took over and led the Heat to the promised land, dropping a team-high 23 points, while Bam Adebayo added 20 points and 11 rebounds. Oladipo, who was involved in some rumors suggesting that Jimmy Butler didn’t want to share the court with him, opened up on his struggles before and after making it to the NBA.
The former Indiana Pacer and Houston Rocket shared a heartfelt message after the Heat clinched the series.
"We all human, we all get to that point… When God gave me this obstacle…I could've stopped, or I could have ran right through it. And I'm still running through it" @VicOladipo pic.twitter.com/0GFZTWx5jO
— NBA (@NBA) April 27, 2022
“We all human, we all get to that point. If you haven’t, you will at some point in your life,” Oladipo said, via Paolo Songco of Clutch Points. “I’ve been fighting even before I was born. I’ve been fighting… I was always counted out. When God gave me this obstacle, I could’ve done two things. I could’ve stopped, or I could have run right through it. And I’m still running through it. No weapon formed against me shall prosper.”
The Heat finished the regular season as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, and nothing has changed in these young playoffs. The Floridians have a solid group of players, they have an incredible coach and assets that won’t hesitate to step up when the squad most needs them.
Oladipo showed that he can be a solid player again, displaying a great level against the Hawks last night. Hopefully, he can have more chances to prove his value down the road. Miami has a big player in Dipo, and he knows he can help his teammates in the future.
