Pacers force Game 7
TYLER SMITH
ISL Correspondent
This is what the Pacers talked about all season long: Game 7 in Indianapolis.
OK, we all know they were talking about the Eastern Conference finals, and not the first round of the playoffs. Regardless, their season is still alive after winning Game 6 on the road (something the franchise had never done before when down 3-2 in a series). David West had 24 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a 95-88 victory over Atlanta.
Indiana coach Frank Vogel went with the same starting five, which once again led to an early deficit. The Hawks took a 15-5 lead, making it the sixth consecutive game the Pacers have trailed by double-digits. That’s every game of the series, for those scoring at home.
Chris Copeland (finally) was used in the rotation Thursday. He and C.J. Watson sparked an early run getting the Pacers back in the game. Evan Turner and Luis Scola were not in the rotation tonight, as Vogel tried to mix things up.
In the first half, Roy Hibbert and George Hill continued to struggle and were a minus-10 and minus-12, respectively. Fans have been calling for the benching of both.
I have agreed with the benching of Hibbert, but Hill is a guy you have to stick with at times. He ended up being big down the stretch in this game and has been a key factor in all three wins in this series.
The Pacers took a 44-39 lead at halftime, holding the Hawks to 5-of-22 from 3. They were much sharper on the defensive end for most of this game. They eventually took a nine-point lead before Paul George picked up his fourth foul. With George on the bench, Jeff Teague and the Hawks went on a 19-7 run to take a three-point lead heading to what could have been the final quarter of the Pacers’ season.
Atlanta led by five with a little over three minutes to go, and West put the Pacers on his back. Multiple buckets, free throws and a big deflection by West carried the Pacers to their biggest victory of the season.
“He’s our rock,” Vogel said after the win. “There’s no other way to put it.”
West kept his cool, calm demeanor after the game.
“We’ve played all year for this, to get Game 7s in our building,” West said. “We just have to handle our business.”
George also scored 24. Lance Stephenson added 21 points and nine rebounds.
There’s been nothing normal about this series. The Pacers are 1-2 at home (despite going 35-6 at home in the regular season) and 2-1 on the road (despite losing 13 of their previous 17 road games).
One key thing this Pacers team has over the Hawks: experience. The Hawks have shown no fear and have played loose for most of the series. Getting the final close-out win, however, is a different animal. That pressure showed tonight in the final three minutes of the game.
Anything can happen in a Game 7. The Pacers have to feel fortunate that their season is still alive. The opportunity is once again there for this team to put a pesky Hawks team away and start fresh in Round 2. No team has won two straight in this series.
It’s time for the Pacers to finally act like a 1-seed, put a complete game together and get it done on their home court on Saturday.
Follow Tyler Smith on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sports_TYs_20.
