Pacers Stunned By Atlanta
The Indiana Pacers, one of the big favorites to win the NBA Championship, were upset in Game 1 of their series with the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday.
The Hawks were by no means the favorite to beat the Pacers, especially with Indiana’s home-court advantage. Â However, they overcame the odds to cruise to a 101-93 victory.
Here is a positive bit of trivia for the Hawks:In the five previous playoff series between the Hawks and Pacers, the Game 1 winner went on to win the series.
Jeff Teague put up a playoff career-high 28 points, while Paul Millsap contributed 25 points to help put the smallest dog in the fight over the No. 1 seed. Â The Hawks are the No. 8 seeds. It was a 20-4 run in the third quarter that put Atlanta over the Pacers. Paul George did what he could to mount a come back with 24 poitns, but Atlanta held on for the victory.
The key for the Hawks may be big man Pero Antic. Â When he is healthy and in the game, the Hawks are 3-0 against the Pacers.
The Hawks also shot out to an early lead with a 16-2 run in the first quarter. Â The Pacers would recover, but thanks to the third quarter run, Indiana were playing catch up all night and could never get closer than an arm’s reach of the Hawks.
It isn’t the NCAA. One game doesn’t mean we’re out of the playoffs. We have to look at film and figure out how we can get four games.
-Paul George
Game 2 of the series will be on Tuesday and Indiana will have home court again. Â Despite Atlanta’s upset, the Pacers are still favored to win with a -7 point spread according to the opening odds.
