NBA News Wire
Pacers 108, Hawks 98
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
INDIANAPOLIS — All-Star forward Paul George scored 26 points on 8-of-18 shooting from the field and forward David West had 17 points and six rebounds as the Indiana Pacers downed the Atlanta Hawks 108-98 on Tuesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Indiana (41-12) got off to a quick start in the second half of the NBA season. A 25-4 run during the middle of the first quarter put the Pacers on course to avoid back-to-back home losses for the first time this season.
The run began when George found guard Lance Stephenson open in the right corner for a 3-pointer with 8:57 to go in the first quarter for a 9-5 lead. Nearly 4 1/2 minutes later, the Pacers were up 31-9.
During the spurt, Indiana made 10-of-11 shots from the field, including 3-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc. The Pacers finished the quarter shooting 66.7 percent from the floor (14-of-21) and led 35-23.
The Hawks did not go away quietly. They charged back with a 14-4 run to close the first quarter, trimming their 22-point deficit to three.
Atlanta again closed to three at 52-49 with 1:02 left in the second quarter when All-Star forward Paul Millsap passed to guard Kyle Korver on the left wing for a 3-pointer. Korver extended his streak of games with a 3-pointer to 121, longest in NBA history.
Indiana scored the final five points of the first half and led 57-49.
Stephenson led the Pacers in the first half with 13 pointsf.
Millsap, the Hawks’ leading scorer this season at 17.6 points per game, made 3 of 10 shots from the field and finished with seven points, continuing his struggles against the Pacers. He was a combined 3-of-21 from the field in the teams’ first two meetings.
Korver led Atlanta with 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5 of 7 from 3-point range. Guard Lou Williams came off the bench to score 18 points.
Atlanta (25-27) has lost a season-high six consecutive games. The skid began with an 89-85 home loss to the Pacers on Feb. 4.
NOTES: The Hawks dropped five straight heading into the All-Star break, scoring 85 points or fewer in four of the five games. … The Pacers and Hawks split their two previous meetings this season, both at Atlanta’s Phillips Arena. Pacers C Roy Hibbert scored a season-low two points in the Hawks’ 97-87 win on Jan. 8. … The Hawks began the night ranked first in the NBA in assists with 25.6 per game. Indiana led the NBA in team defense, allowing 90.3 points per game. … F DeMarre Carroll was not in the Hawks’ starting lineup due to a left hamstring injury. F Cartier Martin made his third start of the season. … Pacers recalled G Orlando Johnson from Fort Wayne of the NBA Development League. … Including Tuesday’s game, the Hawks play four games in five days, and the Pacers have three games in five days.
