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Indiana Pacers: What’s Most Important When Playing Atlanta?

By Matthew Handel

Jan 28, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) dribbles the ball as Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) defends at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 111-92. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 28, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Jeff Teague (0) dribbles the ball as Indiana Pacers guard George Hill (3) defends at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers won 111-92. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /

Paul George Needs To Play At-All Star Level

Don’t get me wrong, George isn’t playing horrible, but 14.5 points per game over the last four games isn’t how an All-Star plays. That isn’t the only thing that should worry Pacers fans. In the last three games that many would consider “big” games, he has averaged 11.3 points per game.

PG-13 scored 11 points last time against the Hawks, and luckily for him the Pacers got the win, but this time around he will have to play much better. Then, just two games ago against the Cleveland Cavaliers he only scored 11 points yet again. This time he wasn’t as lucky, as the Pacers dropped that game late.

When the Pacers traveled to Oracle Arena to take on the best team in the league, the Golden State Warriors, he only scored 12 points. The Pacers lost that game as well. The pattern of him having bad games against good teams can’t continue if Indiana wants to win these big games.

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Scoring less than 20 and the Pacers winning isn’t bad, but it won’t happen against the Hawks. George will need to score at least 20, if not more, for the Pacers to beat the Hawks.

Three Keys, One Victory

Out-rebounding the Hawks, Paul George having an All-Star caliber game, and scoring more than 100 or keeping the Hawks under 100 are the things that the Pacers need to do to get a win. The chances of them not doing one of these things and winning the game are very slim. This has everything in the making of a great game between two tough Eastern Conference teams and the Pacers are up for a challenge.

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