Post-Game Grades: Two Down, One to Go as Pacers Knock Off Hawks
By Tim Donahue
It seemed for a time that this game might never end…Well, at least the third quarter.
It took 37 minutes to play the third quarter, largely due to an extended debate among the officiating crew of Bill Kennedy, Josh Tiven, and Scott Wall. Apparently, it takes 9 minutes to come up with a sufficiently ridiculous call to irritate everyone.
In any case, the extended nature of the period had no ill effect on the Pacers, who outscored the Hawks 31-21 and were well on their way to a 114-103 victory. The teams combined for 68 free throws and 59 fouls in Indy’s 30th of the season – their 15th in a row at home.
It was a weird game. The centers – Roy Hibbert, Ian Mahinmi, Al Horford, and Johan Petro – combined to shoot 21-for-29 from the floor.
Oh, well. A flight to Philly and the third game in three nights awaits the Pacers, who have managed to at least briefly claw back to the third best record in the East.
Here is how each guy played individually tonight. Agree? Disagree? Express your thoughts below in the comments or yell at me (@8pts9secs) or Tim (@TimDonahue8p9s) on Twitter.
| David West, PF 35 MIN | 5-11 FG | 5-5 FT | 7 REB | 4 AST | 5 STL | 3 BLK | 5 TO | 15 PTS | +12 |
Fifteen and seven, you expect, but three blocks for the second night in a row and a career-high-tying five steals are pleasant surprises.
Paul George, SF
39 MIN | 8-19 FG | 8-9 FT | 5 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 29 PTS | +17
Hitting five threes and getting the line nine times is oh, so pretty.
Roy Hibbert, C
30 MIN | 6-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 8 REB | 4 AST | 0 STL | 3 BLK | 2 TO | 12 PTS | +9
This is the kind of line and performance that would make his contract less onerous.
George Hill, PG
34 MIN | 4-12 FG | 6-8 FT | 3 REB | 8 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 15 PTS | +7
Didn’t shoot particularly well, but got to the line (well…who didn’t, tonight?) and dished 8 assists. Has quietly been a foundation piece for this team this year.
Lance Stephenson, SG
30 MIN | 5-10 FG | 2-2 FT | 6 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | +9
The incredible rejection of John Jenkins in transaction, followed by the incredibly silly foul on a three-point shooter is kind of Lance in a microcosm right now. Still, his development has been invaluable this year.
| Tyler Hansbrough, PF 13 MIN | 0-2 FG | 4-6 FT | 0 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 4 PTS | -1 |
Ran around. Did stuff. Out Ivan Johnson-ed Ivan Johnson.
Jeff Pendergraph, PF
2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0
Garbage time.
Sam Young, SF
15 MIN | 0-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | +3
A Sam Young performance
Ian Mahinmi, C
16 MIN | 4-4 FG | 4-7 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 12 PTS | +2
Not to be outdone by Hibbert, Ian matched Roy’s 12 points.
Ben Hansbrough, PG
2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0
Garbage time
D.J. Augustin, PG
16 MIN | 3-6 FG | 2-3 FT | 0 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | +3
Both Augustin and Vogel deserve credit for salvaging D.J. this season. He’s been steady since returning from his short exile to the bench.
Orlando Johnson, SG
8 MIN | 1-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 3 PTS | -6
Wisely (and narrowly) avoided his first NBA technical.