This article started as a search for an answer to a simple question: Why do the Pacers have the sixth-best win percentage (.638) in the league over the last three weeks despite Victor Oladipo’s absence?
It seems like the Pacers should be worse without Oladipo for obvious reasons -- after all, he’s the loneliest superstar in the NBA.
But without him Indiana is 7-4 (I’m including the Atlanta game that he played in for just 4 minutes and 38 seconds) which is a better win percentage than with him (9-6 for .