Victor Oladipo Makes Pacers History with 23rd 20-Point Game of Season

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 105-95 on Wednesday night. Indiana Pacers shooting guard Victor Oladipo scored 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting, also going 3-of-5 from three-point range during the contest.

This also marked Oladipo's 23rd occasion this season with at least 20 points, the most ever by a Pacers player before Christmas Day, per Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN.com). Mickey Johnson previously held the Pacers record for most games with 20 points or more before Christmas recording 22 such games in the 1979-80 season.

Oladipo was traded to Indiana over the summer as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While many thought that this would be a down year for the club, Oladipo has shined with his new squad and propelled them to an 18-14 record. Through 31 games, Oladipo is averaging 24.8 points, 3.9 assists, and 5.5 rebounds per contest. His marks for points and rebounds are the best of his five-year career.

His elevated scoring has come as the result of improved efficiency more than anything. Oladipo's 48.3 percent rate from the field is a career-high, as is his 43.2 percent three-point percentage. Before this season, Oladipo's best clip from beyond the arc had been 36.1 percent set last season.

Oladipo and the Pacers will look to pick up their 19th win of the season and keep their position as fourth in the Eastern Conference on Saturday when they host the Brooklyn Nets.