Just a tad bit early for that, don’cha think, PG?
It really wasn’t supposed to end this way for Jeff Teague and his Indiana Pacers. Traded to his hometown last June, the former Atlanta Hawks point guard and star of the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinal series was determined to show the league – and his former neophyte backup, Dennis Schröder – that he could team up with All-Star cornerstone Paul George and guide this team to a strong regular season finish, a trip to the postseason, and maybe a whole lot more.
That scenario may still come to pass. But for any of that story to be told, Jeff and his Pacers must rise to the challenge against his former team, tonight, in a virtual must-win regular season finale (8:00 PM Eastern, Fox Sports Southeast and 92.9 FM in ATL, Fox Sports Indiana, ESPN elsewhere). Having finalized playoff seeding last night, Schröder will join four other Hawks (Paul Millsap, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, Junior Hardaway) on towel-waving and shot-mimicking duties from the sideline.
Without this victory, Indiana would need both Miami and Chicago to lose their home games (in the Bulls’ case, against Brooklyn) to secure a Reservation for 15 in the NBA Playoffs. Without this win, Teague risks having to watch Schröder and Utah’s George Hill, the latter part of last summer’s 3-team trade deal, from the comfort of his mother’s basement couch.
Out of the gate, Jeff certainly struggled in his new role under coach Nate McMillan, but managed to shake out of his doldrums midway through the season, especially as a passer (career-high 7.8 APG, 7th in NBA; 8.6 APG through 5 games this month).
But predictably, under McMillan’s watch, Indy has failed to exploit perhaps Teague’s greatest asset – quickness – to its advantage (98.2 possessions per-48, 18th in NBA). This, despite the unbridled athleticism and versatility of George (career-best 23.6 PPG, 46.0 FG%, and 89.8 FT%), center Myles Turner’s high-post passing skills, and Thaddeus Young’s newfound ability (38.1 3FG%, despite a nagging wrist injury) to stretch the floor with his jumpshot. McMillan was too often enamored with plodding big men (Kevin Seraphin, Lavoy Allen, Al Jefferson) and ball-stopping, clock-killing guards (Monta Ellis, recently-waived Rodney Stuckey, Aaron Brooks) sharing the floor.
Collectively, even with George’s firepower, the Pacers have been mediocre in just about every category, save for getting steals (7th in NBA) and blocking shots (8th in NBA), and that’s reflective of their modest 41-40 record. The things Indiana can do fairly well, they don’t do enough. They rank fourth in NBA three-point accuracy, but 27th in three-point shot volume; second in free-throw percentage, but 24th in free throw attempts.
To be fair, Coach Nate has been playing the hand he was dealt by longtime executive Larry Bird, who has worn out his welcome just about everywhere outside of French Lick. But McMillan and the Pacers are only beginning to sort things out, and it may turn out to be too late for this season.
With Teague an unrestricted free agent in July, and with George likely to opt out the following summer, there could be a ton of uncertainty in Pacerland going forward, especially if this team fails to reach the postseason and win some games once they get there. Questions abound: Hoosier GM? Hoosier coach? Hoosier point guard? Hoosier superstar?
With all the pressure, how has George been holding up lately? Just fine. As in, he just wants the league to fine him. Getting no whistles in his game-long jousting with Gerald Henderson, until both players were ejected with minutes to spare during the Pacers’ 120-111 win in Philadelphia on Monday, George just let the refs have it afterwards. “You all know how I feel about the officials,” George seethed, “and tonight, I really have no faith in them… (Crappy) officiating job.” That will cost him a cool 25 thousand smacks.
The costly consternation still isn’t enough to eclipse the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week’s ability to carry this team on his back offensively. Averaging 33.0 PPG this month, PG-13 helped pace Indiana with 17 first-quarter points in Philly. As noted by SB Nation’s Indy Cornrows, a full third of the seventh-year Pacer’s 35+-point scoring games have come since the All-Star Break alone.
Now eighth in NBA-career scoring among Pacers, surpassing our dear friend Billy Knight, George is no longer the inefficient volume-shooter from seasons past. The franchise player, and the franchise itself, are each motivated by him piling up the points at the close of the season. Due to the Designated Player Exception rules in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, some All-NBA hardware could sweeten the pot (by $70 million more dollars, as per USA Today) for Indiana to retain him in 2018. That alone could cover a lot of future fines.
The Hawks are fully aware of George’s scoring prowess, as all his 34 points came during the first three quarters in Atlanta on March 5, helping convert the Hawks’ early 13-point lead into an 11-point deficit midway through the third quarter. But the likelihood of victory improves for Indy when they balance their scoring across the floor. The Pacers are 5-2 on the season when three players score at least 20 points, and 17-5 when six players score in double figures.
Atlanta got their sole late-November victory on this Bankers Life Fieldhouse floor, holding George to 6-for-22 shooting (2-for-11 3FGs) and four free throws, while containing Teague and everyone aside from Ellis and Young to 10-for-33 FGs. In that game, Howard (9 O-Rebs) created the second-chance opportunities for Atlanta that the Pacers could not, so much will be expected of Turner (12 points and 14 rebounds total in two games vs. ATL; 18 points, 13 boards @ PHI) tonight, while Dwight rests.
Can Lance help the Pacers dance? Almost out of desperation, the Pacers’ brass returned Lance Stephenson to the team where he built his ear-blowing rep, and he has sparked not only the fanbase, but his team as a ballhandler (3.8 APG off the bench) and even as an end-of-shot-clock gunner (5-for-7 3FGs through 5 games). The Pacers’ 4-1 run since Stephenson’s return (their sole loss 135-130 in Cleveland) has set them up well for today’s finale. Whatever Lance does on behalf of the Pacers tonight, good or bad, will at least be interesting.
It’s unlikely the Hawks will have to account for Glenn Robinson III sitting in the corner this time around. With Big Daddy Dog proudly looking on, GR3 pulled out a three-point plum off the dish from the more-dangerous C.J. Miles (career-high 41.3 3FG%) at the buzzer, sealing Atlanta’s fate in the 97-96 defeat last month despite George being held scoreless in the fourth quarter. But Robinson’s sore calf will have him watching the final game from the sidelines, along with Jefferson (ankle sprain) and probably Brooks (sore knee).
Last night’s 103-76 fumigation of the Hornets’ skeleton crew was as re-assuring as home finales go for Atlanta. But for the Pacers, the game tape they’d be wise to review is the short-winged Hawks’ 114-100 stunner in Cleveland last week.
Even ignoring Hardaway, that game’s top scorer, Atlanta got meaningful contributions from Jose Calderon, Junior Dunleavy, Ersan Ilyasova, and Kris Humphries, upending King James on his court in what was another essential game for the home team. That quartet of Hawks should start tonight. Rookies Taurean Prince and DeAndre’ Bembry will each have their chances to keep George contained, with Mike Budenholzer including a rust-shedding appearance or two from Thabo Sefolosha for good measure.
“We’re ready to come out and do whatever it takes to get this win,” George recently told ESPN Radio (1070 The Fan). “It would be a shame, especially with how we’re playing of late. It seems we’re figuring it out, we know what level we need to play at on a consistent basis and it would be a shame to throw it all away and not get this win.”
Even with a pared-down roster, and with their opponents playing as full-bore as possible, tonight effectively serves as Elimination Game Practice for the Hawks (43-38). There is no pressure for its participants, other than to play hard, play smart, play well, and stay healthy.
At worst, a loss tonight might scooch the team’s draft spot up ahead of Portland (Memphis’ pick), while re-confirming the indubitable genius and clairvoyance of Hotlanta, the sole Squawker who predicted 43 wins this season. But if Atlanta’s second- and third-strings can pull off another confidence-building upset, this time before a national audience, it could bode well for a team that, knock on wood, might find itself in a similar circumstance a couple weeks from now. Namely, in the District of Columbia, for Game 5 and/or Game 7.
Let’s Go Hawks!
~lw3
