Official Game Thread: Hawks - Pacers GAME 6

[lethalweapon3]

“The 'Ship be sinking!”

Larry will be on it, for sure. Paul, Lance, Frank, and Roy, too. But how about Mike Epps? Or Babyface?
“Jared” from Subway, or “Schneider” from “One Day at a Time”? Which one of Jim Irsay, Andrew Luck, Robert Mathis, T.Y. Hilton, or Trent Richardson? Which one among them carries the bass? And who gets to hold the bottle of milk?

These were not the type of dilemmas the contracted crew for TNT’s “Gone Fishin’” series were supposed to be pondering so soon. This week’s Photoshop issues were supposed to revolve around burning questions like: Porsha, Kenya, or Mama Joyce? Lil Scrappy, or Waka Flocka? Which one of Jeff Teague, Mike Budenholzer, Kyle Korver, or Paul Millsap holds the trout? Should Al Horford be encased from neck-to-waist in bubble wrap? Do you put them all on a Ferry boat? And who gets to don the Cobb Braves jersey?

The Atlanta Hawks have altered the immediate plans of America’s Photoshoppers. They might modify the longer-term designs of their opponent, the Indiana Pacers, with a victory in Game 6 tonight before a red-clad, sold-out, rabble-rousing crowd at Philips Arena (7:00 PM Eastern, SportSouth, FoxSports Indiana, NBATV). Indiana has had their backs to the wall, by a 3-2 deficit, on ten other occasions in NBA playoff history, and lost all ten Game 6s. After two losses to a #8-seed in their house, the Pacers’ season-long, obsessive quest to leverage homecourt advantage against Miami may now be drowning in a sea of a whole other team’s red.

The Hawks have proven that Paul George isn’t All-World enough to beat a losing-record entrant in the NBA Playoffs by himself. His Game 5 tallies made him the first NBA player since 2000 (Gary Payton) to record 25 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals in a playoff game. He’s also the first such player to do all that and lose. Tied for the league lead this postseason in both threes made and defensive rebounds while second in total steals, George could also finish tonight as the only NBA playoff participant other than Dirk Nowitzki to average 20-and-10 while shooting above 50% on threes.

Yet, as the chosen face of the Beasts of the East, and the anointed star of this season’s junk food ads, it’s George and not his wilting teammates that bears the brunt of his fans’ ire, each and every time the Pacers’ deficit swells to double-digits. Roy Hibbert would share some of that too, but The Big Chill can’t even stay on the floor long enough for Pacer fans to shout “Boo!” Depending on the outcome of Game 6, George may or may not find reason to celebrate his 24^th birthday when the clock strikes midnight.

None of this is Jeff Teague’s problem. Strategically limited by Budenholzer in floor time (33.4 minutes per game, down from the past two postseasons), for better or worse, Teague has maintained an exemplary level of facilitation when he’s on the floor. His postseason assist percentage of 38.5 per 100 possessions ranks second only to his Demon Deacon alum and insurance pitchman Chris Paul (38.7 per-100). That’s despite Teague being covered for much of the game by a defensive maven in George. To lead Atlanta to his first playoff series victory as a full-time starter, Teague will need a stout defensive gameplan to neutralize George Hill (16 points, 6-for-12 FGs) and/or C.J. Watson (15 points, 6-for-10 FGs), both of whom were sidelined in Pacer practice yesterday to rest nagging hip pointers.

The Hawks’ point god also ranks second among NBA starters in playoff free throw percentage (92.0 FT%). Teague guides a roster that has built a significant advantage from the charity stripe (22.0 FT made per game, 82.1 team FT%) over their Pacer opponents (14.4 FTM/game, 69.9 team FT%) without having to pack themselves in the paint. In this series, Atlanta has prevailed in all three games were Teague gets five or more free throw attempts (19-11 in the regular season, including both wins over Indiana). On offense, threes 'n frees have helped the Hawks control the series, even though the top-seeded Pacers have more total field goals.

Assuming Hibbert will be psychologically M.I.A. once more, Pacers coach Frank Vogel has to commit David West and Luis Scola to banging away in the offensive post and not camping out along the perimeter. It can help draw more Hawks into foul trouble. Lance Stephenson often has a size advantage when the Hawks go small in the backcourt, but he doesn’t exploit it, preferring to hang out in the corner (5.2 3FGA/game, 30.8 3FG%) when he’s not helping to rebound.

Thirty-year-old second-year forward Chris Copeland has opened Pacer fans’ eyes twice in the past two seasons. In the 2013 playoffs, he shot 55% on threes for the Knicks in their second-round series with the Knicks. In Game 5 against the Hawks, he was dusted off in the second half, in a last-ditch attempt by Vogel to get the final score respectable. While his shooting wasn’t stellar (2-for-7 FGs, both threes), he helped Indiana space the floor out with a legitimate perimeter threat (aside from George and Watson) and chipped in admirably on the defensive end (three blocks and a steal). The catalyst for the Pacers as they whittled a 30-point deficit back down to single digits, look for Copeland to be much more than a white-flag option in Game 6.

Go ahead and bottle that stretch of Hawks magnificence called the second quarter of Game 5. There’s no reason to expect anything tonight matching that 41-19 rout that made Atlanta just the second playoff road team in the NBA’s shot clock era to drop 40-plus points in a single quarter while holding their opponents below 20. The Hawks may not get another performance quite as mind-numbing as what they got from The Mikerowave, Mike Scott (17 points… all in that quarter!). But if they can get another bench performer like Lou Williams to warm up the nets, they can put this series on ice.

George expressed amazement at Millsap’s ability to draw fouls (18 points in Game 5, 8-for-12 FTs), relative to his paper-tiger contemporary in David West (16 points in Game 5 on 6-for-13 FGs, but just 4-for-8 FTs). But unnoticed by George and many others were Shelvin Mack’s ten stealth free throw attempts on his way to the first 20-point tally of his playoff career. Mack’s dimes to Scott (three of Shelvin’s five assists, just one turnover) established Atlanta’s first-half advantage while his aggressiveness and accuracy at the free throw line in the second half kept the Pacers satisfyingly at bay.

If Atlanta can get another strong offensive finishing performance out of DeMarre Carroll (15 points on 6-for-9 shooting in Game 5; 53.3 playoff 3FG%, 4^th in NBA) , complementing his defensive hustle, and get anything substantive out of starting center Pero Antić besides being a foul sponge, they will take a ton of pressure off of Millsap, Korver, and Teague to carry the day.

In a metropolis loaded with carpetbaggers and bandwagon jumpers, many Atlanta athletes of years’ past have been preoccupied with who shows up to the game, how many show up, who is rooting for who, who is booing who, who the TV crews are talking up. There’s often enough self-imposed distractions to give their opposing visitors a decided edge on the floor/diamond/ice/field/pitch.

This season’s Humble ‘n Hungry Hawks are not clamoring for anyone’s attention, and that adds to their newfound attractiveness, locally and beyond. They know their limitations, but those obstacles don’t include an inability to out-pace the Pacers, the NBA East’s #1-seed, in either team’s building. These Hawks aren’t out for international accolades or local respect, just a win, preferably tonight. They understand the respect stuff, like the Photoshopping, takes care of itself.

Go Hawks!

~lw3

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[Ruckus]

Tonight a guy like Pero, Migue, Mack or even Lou could step up an instantly become an Atlanta legend. Here's to hoping this is the case! My bet is on Pero. He is due for a big game.

[BrazilianHawk]

I like it in RED!

GO HAWKS!

[hawkman]

I'm PUMPED. LET'S GO HAWKS!!!!!!!

[Dnice]

They had Tito Jackson up in that pic too, lol.

[Guest]

I think we should red out the game thread and the chat tonight!

[AHawks89]

Lets go Hawks! Any way i can change my chatroom font from an ipad or iphone? Lets do this!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NekiEcko]

Its time for a history lesson while we wait for the game (May Day in Seattle, oh great try to get home in that mess)

We all know that if the Hawks win tonight they will be sixth 8th seed to beat 1 but here is the biggest kicker of this.

Since starting with 16 teams for the playoffs in 1984, record for all sub .500 teams in playoffs was a 2-40 record (for series) and the last time that a team actually win a series in this format is the 1986-87 Seattle Sonics that went all way to the WCF (loss to Lakers 4-0)

In fact in history of NBA only four teams with sub .500 actually won a series besides the Sonics (58 - 59 Lakers, 80 - 81 Kings and 80 - 81 Rockets) with Lakers and Rockets getting into the NBA Finals those years.

As you see, it is hard to get series victories as a 8th seed even as a .sub 500 team. Right now, the Hawks is playing together as a team, with confidence, like another team that been doing this for decades. Tonight if the Hawks wins they will join these teams. But for the game, I think there is more pressure for the Pacers to win. If Hawks can weather that storm and contiune to play their game, then I believe that they will win. They are going to smaller and throw everything at them and they will play dirty. If bench step up like last game and Milsap and Teague does their thing, I can see the Hawks winning this.

Game 6 has been hallmark games for us in the history of the Hawks, from Pacers beating us last year to that magical game versus Boston when Big 3 started to Duel in Boston (Nique vs Bird). These game six changes the Hawks one way or another. Tonight, with national spotlight on them, they will have a chance to get that NTTH(Never trust the Hawks) label off of them and telling the world that Hawks has finally arrived (still got game 7 BUT...).

Edited May 1, 2014 by NekiEcko

[Ebert]

Fortunately (well, sadly because I would like to watch every game on live) the only game in this series that I will be able to watch entire on live will be this game. I hope I won't bring bad luck :D

I'll be a bit tired at the end but it's worth it.

GO HAWKS!!

[Admin]

Fortunately (well, sadly because I would like to watch every game on live) the only game in this series that I will be able to watch entire on live will be this game. I hope I won't bring bad luck

I'll be a bit tired at the end but it's worth it.

GO HAWKS!!

If you're not a bit tired at the end of any Hawks playoff game then you're not getting into them enough. I have the paramedics on standby at playoff time now that I know we will compete in every game.

[HawkItus]

So what is the meal of choice for the TV watchers?

[NekiEcko]

One more thing, I decided to check out the AJC blog on this and I saw this I think that I need to post this.

Because is what the game sums up.

"The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done! Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain't you. You're better than that!"

[Carmine]

So hyped right now.

[Guest]

Players in their PAC warm ups.

[anxietyreigns]

So what is the meal of choice for the TV watchers?

Just ate a bowl of cereal but that'll be it until after the game.

I'll puke up anything heavier than that.

Edited May 1, 2014 by Jmartvol

[Admin]

Players in their PAC warm ups.

More importantly Jessica Taylor's fine booth working her version of a #redout

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[Admin]

[Guest]

If you're not a bit tired at the end of any Hawks playoff game then you're not getting into them enough. I have the paramedics on standby at playoff time now that I know we will compete in every game.

I'm nauscious ...already..great game thread as usual.

I might be in bed in 3 hours...GO HAWKS!!!!

[Makaveli96]

We maybe up, but we could be doing so much better.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[anxietyreigns]

We maybe up, but we could be doing so much better.

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

Turnovers man.

And the #ofcourse 3 pointer by Indiana there.