For once, it was the Indiana Pacers offense, not their defense, that lead them to a victory in Atlanta.
A road win is a road win, no matter how small. Or something like that. I’m not exactly sure what the phrase is, but a win is a win and the Indiana Pacers got one in this game against Atlanta.
The Pacers are back on a three-game win streak after losing two in a row last week. They played a solid offensive game, shooting well both from the field and the outside. They also got to the line a whopping 33 times, which helped them both score a lot and stay efficient. This has plagued them in the past, so it was good to see them get this on track for a night.
On the flip side, their defense wasn’t as sharp as it usually is. They gave up 121 to a putrid Hawks team, and they were giving up wide open shots left and right. Thankfully, the Pacers were able to get a lot of steals (13) and free throws (24) to counteract this.
Also, Tyreke Evans finally had a good game. Considering how poorly he has been playing of late, this was a much-needed performance.
Reke's been on fire. 14 points in the first half. pic.twitter.com/SrQmo3EytH
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 27, 2018
Highlights? Highlights.
https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1078097437271576581
Also, Myles Turner has a block streak going, and he kept it alive tonight.
https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1078101007245012992
Tyreke. Finally.
Finally.
Evans had been shooting 32.4 percent from the field since the first game in which he started for Victor Oladipo. His 9.2 points and 2.5 assists per game over the same span are not stats that will cut it for a guy who was supposed to be a huge help for the team.
But tonight, Evans was huge. 19 points, 5 assists, and just 1 turnover is the player Indiana thought they were getting when they signed him this summer. Hopefully, this is a player the team sees more in the future.
Aggressively attacking works against bad defenses
The Hawks entered this game with the 24th rated defense in the league. Their rim protectors aren’t super solid, and the Pacers pressured the rim to exploit this weakness.
The Hawks couldn’t keep up. The Pacers got 33 free throws, and they hit over 70 percent of them. That is a recipe for success, and it worked well tonight.
Everybody Eats
8 players scored in double figures in this game, everyone who played except for Doug McDermott found a way to score well. The team also had 35 assists. It was a true team performance on offense, and it worked to perfection.
Player grades:
The Pacers come back home to take on the Detroit Pistons at home on Friday night.