By CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent INDIANAPOLIS – It took the Indiana Pacers a few games to feel it out, but feel it they did. At long last the series felt like a classic, slug-it-out Eastern Conference matchup, not one of fast breaks and 3-pointers. The NBA’s best defense is back. After the high-flying Atlanta Hawks […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Let’s take a quick look at how the Indiana Pacers outclassed the Atlanta Hawks 106-83 on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference first round series. The Pacers take a 3-2 series lead. WHY IT HAPPENED: The Pacers rode a 50-43 halftime lead to […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Well, it was nearly a replay. Write up a list of all the things the Pacers saw happen Saturday night and put a check mark next to them, and you’ll see Indiana improved on very little in Game 4 and was thus denied the road win it needed to control […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent If the Pacers win on Monday, their first-round series is essentially a wrap. If they lose, they’ll fall into a tie and face heaps of pressure in Game 5 on Wednesday in Indianapolis. Here’s what to look for in a pivotal Game 4 in Atlanta: Going West: Surprisingly, outside of […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Let’s take a quick look at how the Atlanta Hawks routed the Indiana Pacers 90-69 on Saturday night at Philips Arena in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first round series. The Pacers still lead the series 2-1. WHY IT HAPPENED: The Pacers badly struggled on offense and couldn’t make […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent At Philips Arena, known to host some rowdy playoff crowds, a feeling of inevitability will likely hang in the stadium like a dense cloud of smoke from pregame fireworks when the NBA playoffs return there for a sixth consecutive season. Unless they win the next four contests, the Atlanta Hawks’ […]
Continue ReadingBy CLIFF BRUNT ISL Founder It made sense that the “Human Highlight Film” was in the building for the Pacers-Hawks game. Dominique Wilkins, the former dunking machine and current vice president of basketball operations and broadcaster for the Hawks, witnessed some highlights that were worthy of his presence. Indiana’s Roy Hibbert put this facial on Ivan Johnson, courtesy […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Let’s take a quick look at how the Indiana Pacers pounded the Atlanta Hawks 113-98 on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. WHY IT HAPPENED: Indiana’s offense overwhelmed the Hawks’ defense for a second consecutive game to give the Pacers a 2-0 lead in this best-of-seven first round series. The […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent So here we go again. For the fifth time, and first since 1996, the Pacers will play the Hawks in the playoffs. Indiana has won twice: 4-2 in 1994 and 3-0 in 1995. How do they match up in this year’s first round? Let’s take a look. SMALL FORWARD: Kyle […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Keys to the Series Both teams have polished mid-level post stars – David West for Indiana, Al Horford for Atlanta – supported by flashier, wild card forwards (Paul George, Josh Smith). On both sides, look for the ability of the supporting cast to dial it up in the postseason. That […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent A season that began with Danny Granger fighting a sore knee ended with the Pacers making their third consecutive trip to the postseason. In between, there was amazing play on defense, the arrival of Lance Stephenson and an All-Star season for Paul George. October/November (8-8) George Hill set the tone […]
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