featured-image

Victor Oladipo: "I Changed My Mindset"

Josh Cohen
Digital News Manager

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.

By John DentonMarch 19, 2016

TORONTO – When reminded late Friday night that he had set his NBA high for points in a game with 45, Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo chuckled and offered up a correction.

``That’s my life high,’’ Oladipo said with a slightly sarcastic snicker. ``I’ve never had anything (near) 45.’’

Never a primary scoring option in high school, college or even the NBA with the Magic, Oladipo’s offensive explosion on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers showed off his growth as a shooter and as a player capable of piling up points in bunches. Of late, the third-year pro is on one of the best shooting tears of his career – something that he said is the product of a major mindset change of late. The manner with which he approaches shots now has changed, Oladipo said, and he’s seeing dramatic results.

``I changed my mindset to, `Every shot is going in.’ It’s just belief,’’ said Oladipo, whose Magic (29-39) play in Toronto (47-21) on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ``I’m working so hard and I work hard all of the time. So to go out there and second guess myself, there’s no need to work hard, then. So I just go out there and let it fly and have fun. When you have fun that’s when you are at your best and that’s what I try to do every game.’’

Despite the Magic losing 109-103 to the deep and talented Cavaliers, Oladipo had fun pumping in jump shots and scoring points like he never has before in his basketball life on Friday. He had 13 of Orlando’s first 20 points, 24 by halftime and at one point in the third quarter he had shot nearly flawlessly by making 12 of 16 shots, five of five from 3-point range and six of six from the free throw line.

Oladipo topped his previous career high of 38 points – set last March again Phoenix – late in the third period with a jumper and he broke the 40-point plateau with a free throw four minutes into the fourth quarter. He would go on to score just six points (on just three shots) in the final period after Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue wisely switched defensive ace Iman Shumpert onto the Magic’s scorching-hot guard down the stretch. Still, the 16-for-22 shooting night – with six 3-pointers and seven free throws – was good enough to draw rave reviews from those engaged in the fray.

``He had a heckuva game and he shot the ball extremely well,’’ Cleveland’s LeBron James raved. ``He was coming off pick-and-rolls and making some tough shots as well as driving. He was chopping up our defense. He was just attacking our bigs and on a great roll.’’

Added Magic guard Evan Fournier: ``He was great; he was amazing. Even more than his points, he was making plays for us and he was aggressive defensively. He carried us basically.’’

That’s the sort of sense of urgency that the Magic need to play with in the week ahead considering the high level of competition, Oladipo said. Orlando is already in the midst of a stretch that will see it play seven straight games against teams with winning records. Dead ahead: at Toronto (Sunday), at Boston (Monday), at Detroit (Wednesday) and at Miami (Friday) – all teams fighting for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

``We’ve got to bring the fight to every game and we have to compete at a high level,’’ Oladipo said. ``We’re going into hostile environments and great arenas so we’re going to have to be ready to fight. Individually each player has to tell themselves they are going to have a great road trip and then collectively we have to go out there and do it.’’

Oladipo played one of his best games of the season against Toronto on Jan. 14 when he scored 27 points and hit five 3-pointers. Playing in London, Oladipo nearly led the Magic all the way back from a big deficit, but he misfired on a 3-pointer late in the game and he had the ball knocked away from him on a potential game-winning drive in the final seconds.

Over his last seven games, Oladipo has averaged 24.8 points while shooting a stellar 57.2 percent from the floor and 50 percent from the 3-point stripe. That torrid streak falls in line with his improved play after the break for the NBA All-Star Game (20.7 ppg., 48.9 field goal percentage and 36.5 3-point percentage) as opposed to before the break (14.3 ppg., 41.6 field goal percentage and 34.6 3-point percentage).

After averaging just 10.4 points a game in 15 December games, Oladipo’s scoring average has risen each of the past three months – 16.8 ppg. in January, 19.2 ppg. in February and 21.9 ppg. in March.

That dramatic improvement – capped by Friday’s ``life high’’ of 45 points – are products of a mindset where deeply trusts himself because of all the work that he’s put in to improve his jump shot. A career 33.3 percent 3-point shooter before this season, Oladipo’s recent tear has allowed him to boost his shooting percentages from the floor (43.6 percent) and 3-point range (35.1 percent) to career-best levels.

``It just feels like every time I shoot it, it’s going to go in. And that’s what I’ve been feeling like for the last couple of games,’’ Oladipo said. ``I feel like that every day, whether I miss or not. When I shoot I always feel like it’s going to go in. That’s my mentality now – I’ve acquired it over the last few months.

``It took some time and it’s been a work in progress. But I feel like I’m getting stronger and better,’’ Oladipo added. ``I want to be great and I’m going to keep working. It’s a process and I just have to keep believing in myself whether I score 45 or five.’’