Heat guard Victor Oladipo to make season debut Monday vs. Rockets

Two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo has been out of action since April 2021 due to a quadriceps injury that required surgery, but the Miami Heat guard is expected to finally return Monday, coach Erik Spoelstra revealed.

"Tonight and for the foreseeable future this is about getting his feet wet and slowly acclimated to the group," Spoelstra said a couple hours ahead of tip-off against the Houston Rockets. "This is probably the best he's felt since before three years ago ... he's had an incredible fortitude to be able to battle and fight and improve to get healthy."

Oladipo, 29, was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the second overall pick in 2013, but emerged as a rising star during his stint with the Indiana Pacers a few years later, earning the NBA Most Improved Player award and All-Star honors in his first season with the team.

He was traded to the Rockets in January 2021 and then traded again two months later to the Heat. He played just four games with Miami before injury ended his season.

The Heat have been a formidable force without Oladipo and currently have a three-game lead at the top of the Eastern Conference standings. Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Bam Adebayo are all averaging more than 18 points per game so far in the 2021-22 season.