Game Thread: Nate's Hawks visit Pierce's Pacers
Posted: Wed Dec 1, 2021 2:01 pm
Pacers.comNate McMillan returns to face former Pacers squad
After dropping a road game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Pacers (9-14) are returning to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for six consecutive games. The first matchup is on Wednesday nights as the Blue & Gold take on a hungry Atlanta Hawks (11-10) squad.
The Hawks' season has progressed much like the Pacers' prior opponent. After stumbling out of the gate to a 4-9 record, Atlanta had won seven in a row before dropping a contest to the New York Knicks last Saturday. Coming into this matchup, the foes will have had a rare three-day break in between games. Meanwhile, this will be Indiana's third contest in four nights.
The Blue & Gold will have to fight through the fatigue if they wish to slow down Trae Young. The fourth-year guard is putting together yet another elite season and currently ranks fifth in the NBA in scoring as of Monday (26.0 points per game). The dynamic scorer hurts teams in multiple ways. He is shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range and takes an average of 5.7 free-throw attempts per game — the 14th most in the NBA.
Aiding Young are five other players that average in double figures, with big men John Collins (16.6 points per game) and Clint Capela (12.1) leading the way in that group. Capela also impacts teams on the defensive end, as he has turned into quite the capable shot-blocker.
However, as a whole, the team appears to struggle on the defensive end. Surprisingly, despite having a defensive-minded head coach in Nate McMillan, the Hawks rank 23rd in the league in defensive rating. Atlanta surrenders a staggering average of 109.5 points per 100 possessions.
If Indiana can contain Young and prevent a shootout from occurring, a balanced attack by the Pacers' offense could pull off a much-needed victory to start this season-long homestand.
Noteworthy
- Indiana has won seven straight home games against Atlanta dating back to the 2016-17 season.
- Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce was the Hawks' head coach for 2.5 years until former Pacers head coach Nate McMillan took over the reins midway through the 2020-21 season.
- With a win, Rick Carlisle would move into the second spot for head coaching victories in Pacers NBA franchise history.
