INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Welcome back, Vic.
Victor Oladipo hit a long three-pointer with nine seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime and the Indiana Pacers went on to beat the Chicago Bulls 115-106 Wednesday night.
Oladipo, playing limited minutes in his first game in more than a year after suffering a quadricep injury, stepped up from well beyond the three-point arc to tie the game at 100.
Overtime was all Pacers after Justin Holiday opened the extra session with a three-pointer. Malcolm Brogdon scored seven of his 15 points in overtime, including a dunk that gave Indiana a 113-106 lead.
Oladipo scored nine points in 20 minutes in his return, grabbing two rebounds and dishing out four assists. He became emotional during a postgame interview discussing the game-tying shot, dedicating the basket to late NBA star Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others who died in a helicopter crash in California Sunday.
"I just shot it, man. Mamba Mentality," he said. "It's been a tough year, man, but tough times don't last. Tough people do."
Before the game the Pacers honored Bryant and his daughter with a moment of silence amid purple arena lighting and a photo of the pair on the video board.