Teague, Hawks shrug off Pacers, take 2-1 series lead
Jeff Teague!
He wasn't the whole story but he was the key player late as the Atlanta Hawks once again stunned the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, winning 98-85 to take a 2-1 series lead. The adjustments Indiana made late in Game 2 seemed for naught in Game 3, and the Hawks have now looked the better outfit in five of the series' six halves. Indiana, marred in turmoil late in the season and into the playoffs, now have their backs against the wall.
Tegaue's shrug following a late, crazy, off-balance three (he stepped out of bounds but the officials couldn't overturn it because there were more than two minutes left) says it all:
[Courtesy: NBA TV]
Star Performer
Teague finished with game-highs of 22 points and 10 assists, but he earns this nod for his fourth-quarter performance. In the game's final frame, Teague shot 3-of-7 and was perfect at the line for 11 points, adding a pair of dimes for good measure. He's now averaging 21.3 points and 6.3 assists in the series.
Jeff Teague: 1st Hawks player with 20 points and 10 assists in a playoff game since Spud Webb in 1986
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 25, 2014
Turning Point
Whenever Roy Hibbert lost what makes him tick. Whether it's been Pero Antic pulling him away from the basket (despite not actually hitting many threes), fatigue from a long season, or a confidence issue, Hibbert had a terrible outing for the second time in this series. He scored four points on 2-of-9 shooting with two rebounds and zero blocks, coughing up easy passes and making Larry Bird do this:
Larry Bird is not having a good time. pic.twitter.com/vVCojwGS9O
— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) April 25, 2014
Hibbert is now shooting 28 percent in the series, averaging six points and 4.7 rebounds while being held without a block.
Highlight Reel
Can you blame Teague for the shoulder shrug above when he's making plays like these?
Quotes of the Night - What If?
Don't know what's more hilarious: the idea the Knicks could have created these matchup problems or this Pacers photo pic.twitter.com/n0dlkQunZn
— Zach Harper (@talkhoops) April 25, 2014
This coulda, shoulda been the Knicks.
— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) April 25, 2014
For a moment there, I thought about the Knicks making it as the 8 seed, beating the Pacers and making it to the ECF.
— alex (@steven_lebron) April 25, 2014
#ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlayin @nyknicks
— Daniel (@benchwarmerdan) April 25, 2014
"We've secretly replaced the Eastern Conference's number one seed with the New York Knicks. Let's see if anyone can tell the difference..."
— Gourmet Spud (@gourmetspud) April 25, 2014
Series at a glance
Game 1: ATL 101, IND 93 (Hawks lead 1-0)
Game 2: IND 101, ATL 85 (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: ATL 98, IND 85 (Hawks lead 2-1)
Game 4: Saturday, April 26 - 2 p.m. ET
Game 5: Monday, April 28 - 8 p.m. ET
Game 6*: Thursday, May 1 - TBA
Game 7*: Saturday, May 3 - TBA