Today at 2:00 p.m. ET the NBA playoff slate kicks off with the once-mighty Indiana Pacers, the top seed in the Eastern Conference, looking to avoid a 3-1 hole vs. the No. 8 Atlanta Hawks at Phillips Arena. Watch the game on TNT or live stream it free by clicking this link. Pacers fans can hear the game on 1070 The Fan, while Hawks fans can find the radio broadcast on Sports 92.9 Atlanta.
Center Roy Hibbert is shouldering much of the blame for Indiana's terrible run through the end of the regular season that hasn't ended come postseason play, and some are calling for the game's top rim protector to be benched.
Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, potentially coaching for his job, had little to divulge when asked if a lineup adjustment was in the offing. "You'll find out tomorrow," Vogel said on Friday.
Without Al Horford, Atlanta's turned to big men Paul Millsap and Pero Antic, two men with good perimeter shooting skills. That's been an issue for Hibbert, who has a difficult time chasing them out near the 3-point line. "It's a difficult lineup for me," Hibbert said. "I'm not used to it. It takes me out of position to protect the paint and to get rebounds in the paint and contest shots."
He also may see the writing on the wall in terms of a decrease in playing time, publicly stating that he's ready to do what's best for the team. "I'll do whatever Coach feels is necessary to win," Hibbert said. "As far as I know, I'm still playing. I don't know if it will be with the second unit."
Star swingman Paul George said the Pacers' problems are far, far deeper than just the struggling big man. "We're just not attacking. We're hesitant. We're not assertive. We're not screening. We're not setting guys up. We're not finishing," George said.
They will need to do all those things today, or risk being on the verge of a shocking upset.
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