With 2019 looming, the Atlanta Hawks were defeated in Indianapolis by the Pacers. Let’s explore some takeaways.
Over the past 7 games, the Atlanta Hawks have lost only twice. Both of those losses have come at the hands of the sturdy, well-coached and defensive-minded Indiana Pacers, who now have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and are tied with Milwaukee in the win column as of this writing with 25.
The Pacers were a tough out today for the Hawks, as Indiana always seemed to get a timely stop or steal whenever the Hawks were looking like they might be gaining traction or momentum, and Myles Turner was an absolute tank in the rim-protecting role – amassing a total of 4 blocks and 3 made triples before he collided with John Collins and broke his nose.
Though Victor Oladipo was not his usual world-beating self, as he scored 22 points on 9 of 19 shooting, his suffocating defense on Trae Young and Jeremy Lin – or whoever was handling the ball for the Atlanta Hawks – was stupendous all game and led to 17 turnovers for the Hawks.
Let’s dig into some takeaways to this New Year’s Eve bash in Indy.