Official Game Thread: Hawks - Pacers GAME 4

[lethalweapon3]

^{"Man, I haven’t felt this rotten since… since… May 18, 1988?"}

This series was supposed to be a referendum, about whether a 38-44 Atlanta Hawks team deserved to be invited to the NBA’s postseason party. In the course of one week, the Humble and Hungry Hawks managed to flip the theme into an open reconsideration of the postseason worthiness of the 56-26 Indiana Pacers, who seem quite content hanging out at the NBA’s pity party.

No one is going into Game 4 of this series at Philips Arena (2:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, TNT) pondering over whether the Pacers have the physical and mental fortitude to beat the Miami HEAT anymore. The defending champs are a distant memory now. The burning question is, now, do the Pacers have the focus and the will to seize Game 4 from an 8-seed with a losing record, much less three of the next four games, and get their homecourt advantage back?

Head Coach Frank Vogel has remained non-committal (“We’ll see,” he has said repeatedly) as it pertains to the status of his starting center and point guard. Roy Hibbert is shooting 28.0 FG% in the series and averaging just 8.9 points (9^th among all Pacers), 6.9 rebounds (6^th on the team) per-36. He has not blocked a shot or stolen a ball in the course of 73 minutes, and has shown a disturbing disinclination toward fighting for 50/50 balls. George Hill isn’t accomplishing much, either (0.0 3FG%, 40.7 2FG%, 3.5 assists and 0.7 steals per-36). He’s leaving much of the pass production to the forwards, Paul George and David West each averaging 5.0 APG. Even if Vogel plans to roll these two out again, the hook has never been shorter than it it today.

Vogel has options should he elect to bench Hibbert again, although most of them involve pairing two power forwards up front. It’s pretty bad when much of the free world is clamoring for Ian Mahinmi, who’s shooting just 28.6 FG% and hasn’t been any more effective a rebounder as Hibbert (3.2 defensive rebounds per-36). But he has been a deterrent around the rim (3.2 blocks per-36), and it’s not as if he has to worry about banging around with Pero Antić (0-for-4 3FGs, 0-for-1 2FGs, 3 rebounds in Game 3) in the paint. Luis Scola is more likely to at least be a pest around the perimeter, while fighting for boards on the offensive end (series-leading 4.3 offensive rebounds and 24.2 points per-36). Also acquired in the Danny Granger-Evan Turner deal, Lavoy Allen has been sorely underutilized to this point in the series.

Hill was traded by San Antonio for Kawhi Leonard on then-Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer’s recommendation. Three years later, the Hawks head coach seems to have put together a sound scouting report to neutralize Hill’s impact in this series so far. C.J. Watson (55.6 3FG%) has helped spread the floor a little more for Indiana, but he’s not finishing inside (16.7 2FG%) or setting up teammates well (3.2 assists per-36). Due to his defensive deficiencies, former Hawk Donald Sloan will only be deployed in case of extreme emergency.

Atlanta has yet to lose a first quarter in this series. For the Pacers to get going strong early, they cannot afford early foul trouble to their top offensive threats in the starting lineup, George or West, a consistent problem in each of the past three first halves. George (47.4 3FG% this series) has to exploit matchups with Kyle Korver (4-for-7 3FGs in Game 3) and make the Hawks’ sharpshooter expend as much energy on the defensive end as he does getting looks on the other end of the floor.

Without an active defender at the point guard spot for Indiana, the erratic Lance Stephenson is left to pick his poison between Jeff Teague (22 points and 10 assists in Game 3; 88.9 FT% this series) and DeMarre Carroll (18 points, zero turnovers in 40 minutes of Game 3).

To put a tight grip on the series, Atlanta could use a less uneven game from Paul Millsap. Millsap ranks 6^th in the playoffs for total shooting percentage (56.9 TS%), just a shade behind George. As he has done all season, even when his shot isn’t falling efficiently against a tight defense like the Pacers (2-for-7 2FGs, 1-for-4 3FGs in Game 3), Millsap finds other ways to help him team remain competitive (7-for-8 FTs; 14 rebounds, all defensive; 4 assists). Millsap has to continue to avoid foul trouble, but pick his spots helping out on the offensive glass. He also must be more protective and decisive with the ball (6 TOs in Game 3).

The Hawks don’t want to be the guys at the bar this summer watching the Pacers in the NBA Finals, humblebragging about how they had this opponent on the ropes and really put a scare into them for a minute. They’re fine with all the attention and media pressure on the other team, and to keep it that way, they have to keep doing what it takes to win, especially at home.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[DJlaysitup]

Great stuff as always lw3!

It's a little bit early for me to fire up the cold Coors beer....but I'll do it for the good of the team :^)

[anxietyreigns]

Watson and Scola scare me more than anyone else.

[nathan2331]

Wow, didn't realize how bad Mahinmi has been playing. This game is Atlanta's to lose. So long as we can get our shots to fall we should win this game comfortably.

[HalfHawk]

Saturday afternoon, NBA Playoffs, game 4... No excuses this time, the crowd should be nothing short of spectacular.

Edited April 26, 2014 by HalfHawk

[DJlaysitup]

Wow, didn't realize how bad Mahinmi has been playing. This game is Atlanta's to lose. So long as we can get our shots to fall we should win this game comfortably.

You better knock on wood and toss some salt over your shoulder quick...

[anxietyreigns]

Nice run. I just made it to a TV.

Was 8-0 in the car and I was doing some cursing.

[anxietyreigns]

Big time no call w/ West getting that steal on Lou. Was all over him.

[anxietyreigns]

Well, appears Indiana will be allowed to molest and assault Hawks players today.

Not good.

Paul George continues to push with 2 hands.

[anxietyreigns]

Korver continues his hot shooting for the Pacers.

Nice little stretch there. Was starting to get scary.

Can't wait til the starters are back in.

Edited April 26, 2014 by Jmartvol

[anxietyreigns]

Lou is too hesitant to shoot IMO.

[tbhawksfan]

Lou is too hesitant to shoot IMO.

Love the steals though

[tbhawksfan]

Sap is on Fire!

[BudBall]

"Seriously, who the hell is Mike Scott? Sounds like a generic create a player second round draft pick on 2k14."

-Pacer Fan

[taz]

Listening to hawks radio you'd think big steve was jr calling a Steve Austin match with mr McMahon referring

[Guest]

That's the question being asked through out the entire NBA fan base.....mwhahaha!!!

Love it.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

We are rebounding well in this game.

[anxietyreigns]

We are in trouble with this officiating.

[Jody23]

Hawks have to get hot right now!

[gurpilo]

WTF with that airball of Lou...