It takes a special type of character to pick a fight with David West, but Pero Antic fits that bill.
It was Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs and the Atlanta Hawks were squaring up against the Indiana Pacers. Only a year ago not even Pero Antic would have expected himself to be starting at center in the postseason against the conference’s No. 1 seed, but that is exactly what transpired.
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Not only that, but in many ways the game plan put in place by the Hawks was centered around Antic and his skill set. The 32-year-old isn’t just a capable 3-point shooter for a man of his stature, but he’s also not shy about taking chances when they present themselves. With Atlanta missing their best player,
Al Horford, through injury, the aim was to knock off the Pacers with a barrage of 3-pointers.
Alongside that, the Hawks needed to prove they wouldn’t cower under the pressure of Indiana’s physicality. With the imposing pairing of Roy Hibbert and David West leading the Pacers line, the battle was always going to be won up front, and a certain Macedonian was determined to make his mark.
Early in the third quarter, Antic gave West a push on the perimeter and triggered the most intense stare down of the NBA season. West is an 11-year NBA veteran, and is more accustomed to his opponents backing down from conflict than he is to them standing up to confront it. Yet Antic has a determination and a competitiveness that means he won’t settle until he’s left everything out on the court.
That’s how in the space of a year he went from being a relatively unknown but successful European journeyman, to starting an NBA playoff game. Antic is a talented player, but from watching him play, it’s clear his commitment has been equally if not more important in getting him to where he is now.
The latest example of Antic’s desire to win, and just how competitive the Hawks are heading into the season came on Thursday. Antic suffered a broken nose during practice at the team’s training camp at the University of Georgia in Athens. According to the team’s statement, since relayed by Zach Harper of CBS Sports:
"He underwent surgery Friday afternoon at Northside Hospital in Atlanta, performed by Dr. Joseph Williams. Antic will miss Monday’s preseason contest against New Orleans and his status will be updated as appropriate."
Although it’s far from a positive to have Antic break his nose, just as preparations for the season began to step up a notch for Atlanta, it epitomizes the attitude of a player who takes no games off. Whether it’s a preseason scrimmage or the playoffs, Antic comes ready to play and compete.
With the return of Al Horford to health, that may well prove to be less often this season than it was last, but Antic will still have a big role to play. Much like Zaza Pachulia did for so many years in Atlanta, Antic will still be there when called upon to inject energy and aggression while solidifying the center rotation. On top of that, as highlighted in the playoffs, the Macedonian also offers an alternative strategy with his 3-point range.
As softly spoken as he is off the court, Antic is going to find himself in more altercations than just his clash with David West. Yet his future opponents will have to be incredibly brave to even consider it.
Antic’s favorite film is The Godfather, and you can’t help but feel he’ll be leaving plenty of metaphorical horses heads in opponents’ beds as the season progresses.