2014 Playoffs: (1) Indiana vs. (8) Atlanta

[Lamrock]

As much as I dreaded watching the Hawks in the playoffs, they did turn their game up a little bit from awful to mediocre and Indiana has looked like a lottery team these past couple months so this one could be interesting.

However, I don't think the Pacers are as bad as they've looked lately and they should take care of business against a Hawks team lacking in talent. Indy in 5.

[Mandich]

Pacers in 6. As bad as they've been, they are still better than Atlanta. Hibbert will play better and George will continue to suck on offense.

[JaoSming]

I wanted the Knicks in.......

Sweep 'em

[NovU]

Pacers in 5.

Kinda random question but do the Hawks hold 2nd place next to the Spurs on longest years of making the playoffs?

[Lamrock]

They do. After an eight year drought to boot.

[Andrew]

The Nuggets had also made ten straight appearances before their drop-off this year.

I'm going with the Pacers in a sweep. Maybe I'm not giving enough credit to the Hawks and with the way the Pacers have struggled a bit recently, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Atlanta did win a game (or even two) before ultimately being eliminated. Still, on paper they're fairly outmatched and I believe the Pacers will find their earlier form, getting the series over and done with quickly.

[Alpha_]

Hawks with a pulsating win in 7...

[Kevin]

Pacers in 4. Easy win (I think)

[buzzy]

Pacers in 7

[SoF'nAwesome]

Pacers in 4.

[Fizz3476]

ATLANTA IN 4. Bcause fck logic

[rise]

Pacers in 6. I'm bummed Indiana took over 1st. We actually had a chance against Indy. We owned them last time we played them.

[NovU]

No. 1 Pacers vs. No. 8 Hawks

I’ve been chattering about this series quite a bit on Twitter, as I’m taking the Hawks in seven games. The Pacers have been a mess for two months, and just because the playoffs are here doesn’t mean they’re going to flip a switch and suddenly be a great team again. Yes, it’s possible that Jeff Van Gundy might be right, but I just don’t see the Pacers pulling it all together in time.

Jeff Teague vs. George Hill is no contest in Teague’s favor. Pero Antic is going to confuse Roy Hibbert and keep him out of the paint. I’m not sure it’s possible for Hibbert to play any worse than he has for the last few weeks, but I don’t see things getting any easier for him against a non-traditional center who can hit threes. Paul Millsap vs. David West is a good one, but Millsap is the more dynamic talent in my eyes. Paul George is going to have his hands full being guarded by DeMarre Carroll, and Kyle Korver should hit a ton of threes against Lance Stephenson. In fact, the Hawks perimeter shooting should end up being the difference in this one, as the Pacers just won’t have many shooters on floor. Lou Williams will serve as a secret weapon off the Hawks bench.

Frank Vogel was in line to win Coach of the Year in the first half of the season and probably won’t tally a single vote after what’s happened since. And while Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer is a rookie, the Hawks have more playoff experience than you might think, as this is their seventh straight trip to the playoffs.

And before you go accusing me of being a homer, because we’ve lived in Georgia for 10 years, realize that I grew up in Indianapolis and went to almost every Pacer home game from 1981 to 1987. A big part of me hopes I’m wrong, but after seeing Hibbert’s 1-of-7 shooting performance against the Magic on Wednesday, you have to think he still has issues. The only reason he even played in that game was in order to try to figure some things out and gain some confidence. Something tells me that hitting 1-of-7 shots in a game where the other starters took the night off didn’t do a lot for Hibbert’s mental game. I’m either going to look like a genius or idiot when this one’s over, and I’m OK with that.

Prediction: Hawks in 7

LoL... You can read rest of his prediction, click the quote.

[JaoSming]

phpBB [video]

[Moz]

Jeff Teague vs. George Hill is no contest in Teague’s favor

Paul Millsap vs. David West is a good one, but Millsap is the more dynamic talent in my eyes.

the Hawks perimeter shooting should end up being the difference in this one, as the Pacers just won’t have many shooters on floor

Well, so far he's right with these assumptions... the Pacers are playing too much ISOs and they dribble too much... and as that GIF shows Hibbert so far is useless...

[Lamrock]

Maybe Vogel should rest the starters in game two...

[bowdown]

All that talent on their team and they can't put it together. Too bad Indiana.

[Martti.]

https://vine.co/v/M1PO7Auu3m2

[Alpha_]

Oh Hawks!

[NovU]

Jeff Teague vs. George Hill is no contest in Teague’s favor

Paul Millsap vs. David West is a good one, but Millsap is the more dynamic talent in my eyes.

the Hawks perimeter shooting should end up being the difference in this one, as the Pacers just won’t have many shooters on floor

Well, so far he's right with these assumptions... the Pacers are playing too much ISOs and they dribble too much... and as that GIF shows Hibbert so far is useless...

Yeah. Surprisingly he's hit the nail on all points at least for Game 1, including Pero Antic confusing Hibbert and Paul George having his hands full with Carroll guarding him. Match up problems all around.

Vogel's going to make an adjustment so perhaps game 2 will go down little differently.

[Andrew]

Maybe I'm not giving enough credit to the Hawks and with the way the Pacers have struggled a bit recently, I wouldn't be completely shocked if Atlanta did win a game (or even two) before ultimately being eliminated.

I am, however, a little surprised that it happened in Game 1. I figured if the Hawks did avoid the sweep I had predicted, it'd be a token win at home.

[shadowgrin]

Bynum must be schooling Hibbert in practice so bad that Hibbert's confidence is rock bottom right now.

[Stress Fracture]

And then they rule out Bynum in this round. Well played, Indy.

[Mandich]

Barkley thinks the Pacers are Woosseees (he wanted to say pussyes). Good to see his pronunciation is getting better. Frank Voool instead of Vogel. Gotta love the dude.

[Alpha_]