Perhaps, the Indiana Pacers are better off with limited doses of Roy Hibbert.
CBSSports.com reported Tuesday night that Hibbert could be out of place in the Pacers lineup in their first-round playoff matchup with the Atlanta Hawks, based on the Hawks' preference to spread out the court and keep all five players away from the basket.
The Pacers salvaged some pride by outscoring the Hawks by 20 in the second half and evening their playoff series at one game apiece with a 101-85 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.
Indiana used a 31-13 third quarter to erase a four-point halftime deficit and take control of the game. According to CBSSports.com, half of the Pacers' advantage in the quarter came with Hibbert on the court and the other half came when he was on the bench, so it's hard to argue how much of a factor he had in their run.
Hibbert finished the game with six points and four rebounds, hardly imposing numbers, but the Pacers were plus-12 with him on the court Tuesday night.
But there's no denying Hibbert's slump since the All-Star break. Sports World News was one of the outlets showing Hibbert's regression this season, and CBSSports.com also talked about Hibbert's increased struggles during the second half of the season.
"Since the All-Star break, Hibbert's season has gone south and it cost him the Defensive Player of the Year award in the process," CBSSports.com reported. "The defense got 9.4 points per 100 possessions worse with Hibbert on the court after the break and his individual play suffered. In the final 29 games he played in, he averaged just 8.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and made 39.0 percent of his shots. Considering his contract and unusual game, Hibbert became the poster boy for why the Pacers were struggling."
CBSSports.com suggested that the Pacers figured out in the second half that less of Hibbert was more against the unorthodox Hawks, which led to the victory going away. It added that the Pacers would need Hibbert more in the later rounds of the playoffs.
But coach Frank Vogel also said he thought Hibbert was worn down at the end of the season, and Indiana might be best suited to budget his time into shorter, more effective bursts if they want to make a deep postseason run.
Do you think that the Indiana Pacers need to limit Roy Hibbert's time on the court to have a chance to win a championship? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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