Post-Game Grades: Indiana Annihilates Atlanta

The Good: That third quarter — and the fourth. Ooooo-wee. This is the Pacers that fans in Indiana signed up to watch in this year’s playoffs. And what a time to show up. They opened the second half on a 42-15 run. That’ll usually win you a ball game. The defense was that historically elite suffocation stuff we saw so often back in November.

The Bad: Paul George forced some shots in the first half for sure, and I was pretty anti Frank Vogel’s insistence on keeping Roy Hibbert on the court when he was so obviously a negative presence out there.

MVP: George Hill. The other guy with George in his name finished with the pretty stat sheet, but it was Mr. Hill’s aggressiveness that jump-started the team from the cardiac arrest it was suffering from. This was his best game in as long as I can remember.

LVP: Evan Turner continues to be not helpful.

X Factor: Ian Mahinmi. The paint was his while he was on the court in the second half.

Atlanta Hawks

Final
Recap | Box Score

101

Indiana Pacers

David West, PF 24 MIN | 4-5 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 6 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | +7

Got in early foul trouble and didn’t finish with a big line. But only missed one shot, and the assists were great as he moved the ball well as Indiana went into domination mode.

Paul George, SF 39 MIN | 9-16 FG | 4-4 FT | 10 REB | 6 AST | 4 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 27 PTS | +29

Made some shaky decisions and forced some shots in isos early. But was lights out from deep and finished with an All-NBA line. The star this team needed.

Roy Hibbert, C 24 MIN | 1-7 FG | 4-4 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | +12

Did nothing of value in the first half, and I have no instances to cite of him contributing. Was on the floor for the first 7:20 of the third, however, as they blew em out. Says something.

George Hill, PG 33 MIN | 5-8 FG | 5-6 FT | 4 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 15 PTS | +22

THERE HE IS.

Lance Stephenson, SG 25 MIN | 3-6 FG | 1-1 FT | 3 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 7 PTS | +3

Wasn’t needed. Made some plays. Brought some energy.

Luis Scola, PF 19 MIN | 9-14 FG | 2-4 FT | 7 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 20 PTS | +17

El hombre del partido.

Evan Turner, SF 11 MIN | 1-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 3 PTS | -12

Hope he has a nice seat on the bench picked out for the next few games.

Ian Mahinmi, C 20 MIN | 0-2 FG | 1-2 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 1 TO | 1 PTS | +8

Really active in the paint with some great blocks during domination.

C.J. Watson, PG 28 MIN | 2-5 FG | 4-6 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 10 PTS | +16

The team plays good when he’s on the court almost always now. Love him at the point with Hill at the two.

Frank Vogel

I killed him on Twitter for not adjusting in the first half. He did something right during halftime though. That is for sure.

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