Olat na naman ang PacersNotebook: Hawks 98, Pacers 85Matt Winkeljohn, for NBA.com
Posted Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:05 AM - Updated Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:38 AM
THE FACT: The Atlanta Hawks went off on the NBA's top-rated defensive team in the second half, hitting 10 3-pointers and scoring 59 points, and now hold a surprising 2-1 series lead over the No. 1 seeded Indiana Pacers.
THE LEAD: Jeff Teague scored 15 of his game-high 22 points in the second half as the eighth-seeded Hawks knocked off the visiting Pacers 98-85 Thursday night at Philips Arena in Game 3 of their first-round series.
Neither team looked ready to win in an ugly first half, when the Hawks led 39-38 despite shooting just 2-for-16 on 3-pointers, but Teague cranked it up after intermission as Atlanta went 10-for-18 from beyhond the arc.
Lance Stephenson (21 points, 13 rebounds) and Paul George (12 and 14) put up double-doubles for the Pacers, but George -- who averaged 25.5 points in the first two games -- went scoreless in a first half when he played just 12:17 because of foul trouble.
While the Hawks' offense rolled late, the Pacers were frustrated all night long by the Atlanta D, shooting just 32-for-85 for 37.6 percent. David West (16 points, seven rebounds, five assists) had his best game of the series and Luis Scola scored 17 after pouring in 20 in Game 2, but 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert continued to struggle monstrously, scoring a mere four points with two rebounds.
Indiana's modest edge of 38-26 on points in the paint wasn't enough to offset Atlanta's ability to play its offensive game nearly unfettered after intermission.
In the second half, Kyle Korver (20 points) made three treys, DeMarre Carroll (18) and sub Lou Williams (11 points) hit two each, and Paul Millsap (14 points, 14 rebounds), Teague (career postseason-high 10 assists) and sub Shelvin Mack added one each.
Add the fact that after intermission the Hawks were 17-for-23 from the free-throw line on the night when they were 30-for-37 overall, and the Pacers were doomed.
QUOTABLE: "The defensive effort and the defensive activity is the message we've been talking about. For our group to be that committed ... is a credit to our group. ... Our group is confident when it comes to shooting. ... They know we believe in [the 3-point shot] and they know it's part of how we want to play."
-- Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer
THE STAT: The Hawks scored 21 more points than the Pacers on 3-point shots, and 14 more from the free-throw line to more than nullify Indiana's 51-41 rebounding edge.
TURNING POINT: OK, so it wasn't a turning point (there really wasn't one), but the most controversial moment came when Teague nailed an off-balance, shot clock-beating 3-pointer with 2:49 left to push Atlanta's lead to 87-78.
Officials reviewed the play to make sure he beat the shot clock. He did, and even though replay showed Teague stepped out of bounds prior to taking the shot the points stayed on the scoreboard.
Replay rules do not allow officials to overturn a play based on a player having stepped out of bounds if he happens to re-set his feet inbounds before or while taking the shot. Indiana appeared to lose faith once and for all there, and the Hawks closed the game with a 14-6 run.
QUOTABLE II:
"We'll look at everything, but I can't say that right now. I've got confidence in Roy Hibbert. He has not played well."
-- Pacers coach Frank Vogel when asked if Hibbert will remain in the starting lineupHOT: The Hawks made 6-of-12 3-pointers in the third quarter, while outscoring Indiana 28-20 to take control of the game. Carroll and Williams made two each in the period. ... Stephenson scored 12 points in the fourth quarter on 4-for-5 shooting, but also missed half his six free throws. ... Scola also scored 12 in the final period, on 5-for-7 shooting. ... Teague is averaging a series-high 21.3 points against the Pacers. ... Millsap is averaging 19.3 points and 8.7 rebounds (while making five of 12 3-pointers). ... The Hawks are averaging 11 made treys per game in the series.
NOT: Hibbert shot 2-for-9 one game after going 1-for-7. He dropped a ball in the paint where he appeared set up for an uncontested dunk, and missed a point-blank shot in the third. He played just 6:30 in the second half, going scoreless on three shots. ... The Pacers shot just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers in the final quarter. ... George missed all four of his shots in the fourth quarter, and was 3-for-11 overall. ... Hawks center Pero Antic played just 23:07, and after missing all five of his shots he is just 5-for-21 in the series, and 3-for-14 from distance. He's averaging 4.3 rebounds.
GOOD MOVE: Budenholzer's decision to play Millsap and Elton Brand big combined minutes at the center spot, often with reserve Mike Scott at forward, is creating more matchup nightmares for Indiana than when Antic is in the pivot, even though Antic is normally one of the top 3-point shooting centers in the NBA.
QUOTABLE III: "We have a few guys who wear their emotions on their sleeves ... guys who are their own biggest critics. When guys aren't playing well and shots aren't going in, they show it. We've tried to work on that and keep guys confident. ... We're not going to panic. We came down here to get one game."
-- David West when asked whether the Pacers have enough confidence to win the series
NOTABLE: Carroll most often had the assignment of defending George, who left the game with just 3:36 elapsed after picking up his second foul. ... George's scoring average slipped to 21.0 per game, but he's averaging a series-high 11.3 rebounds and has a series-high eight steals. He has had a double-double in every playoff game. ... Hibbert doesn't have a blocked shot in the series. ... West is averaging just 4.0 rebounds, and has attempted (and made) just two free throws in three games. ... The Hawks' 59 second-half points were their most in a playoff game since scoring 65 against Detroit on May 2, 1991. ... Atlanta's 12 made treys tied a franchise postseason record. ... Carroll's 18 points were a career postseason high.
IN THE CROWD: Rapper 2Chainz and civil rights leader Jesse Jackson were at Philips Arena, which was sold out and by far louder than all season.
QUOTABLE IV: "That was the best Hawks crowd I've ever been a part of. ... That was really awesome tonight. We really felt the energy."
-- Kyle Korver
