The Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers will meet up for the first game in the opening series of the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Home court advantage could com into play with this series as the Pacers are 30-11 at home this season.
Atlanta is a fast team that likes to run the court. Kyle Korver certainly enjoys playing against the Pacers. In Atlanta's two regular-season wins over the team, he has shot 75 percent from the field and 53.1 percent from the 3-point line. He will be key in the Hawks' ability to score in transition.
The Hawks defense will need to be as stout as ever going up against the Indiana defense. When Atlanta moves to a more zone defense, Indiana shoots just 4 of 19 in a 12 minute span. The Hawks will be playing without Zaza Pachulia who went down with an Achilles injury. He played 73 minutes during Atlanta's two wins with Indiana. Head coach Larry Drew believes that the Hawks will have the advantage with their size and success at running the pick-and-roll.
The Pacers have an 11-game losing streak in Atlanta, so getting the win at home will be key in their playoff chances. During the regular season, the Pacers showed versatility in their game that kept Atlanta confused. They currently have the best defensive field goal percentage of 42.0 and the best defensive 3-point percentage of 32.7. That defense will help Korver's chances of getting hot from behind the arc during the game. The Pacers also have the league's second-best scoring defense, holding teams to an average of 90.7 points. The Pacers roster is pretty banged up heading into the Playoffs. They will be without Danny Granger who injured his left knee. They are expected to get back George Hill who has been sitting with a groin injury.
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