What losing Victor Oladipo means for the Pacers and the NBA playoffs

What does Victor Oladipo‘s decision to sit out the restart of the 2019-20 NBA season mean for the Indiana Pacers and their Eastern Conference rivals?

Oladipo was one of the last key players on a playoff-bound team to publicly debate his decision, facing concerns over playing after a quadriceps tendon rupture that sidelined him for more than a year. Although Oladipo had played 13 games since his return, he had yet to ramp up to full minutes, topping out at 29 in his final game before the NBA’s stoppage.

With Indiana in the midst of a three-team battle for seeds four through six, Oladipo’s decision could have ripple effects on the East playoffs. Let’s take a look.