A pair of teams coming off vastly different months will meet on Saturday in Indianapolis, where the Indiana Pacers host the Atlanta Hawks.
The Pacers enter play winners in four of five games and enjoyed a 10-2 January to springboard themselves into the Eastern Conference playoff picture. After leading the NBA in scoring last season, Indiana has found its offensive form of late, averaging 134.5 points in its last two wins.
In Wednesday’s 133-119 home victory over the Detroit Pistons, the Pacers’ scoring prowess was on full display, as they shot 56.8 percent from the field and made 19 of their 38 3-point attempts. Leading the way for Indiana was newly named All-Star Pascal Siakam, who had 37 points — his most since being traded from Toronto midway through last season.
The three-time All-Star is averaging 20.5 points and 7.3 rebounds and has started all 46 games this season. The nine-year veteran’s career has benefited greatly since joining the Pacers last January.
“I’m blessed to be a part of this team,” Siakam said. “The support I’ve had since I’ve been here has been amazing. I don’t think I’ve ever had an organization show so much support from the top to the bottom. … It means a lot to represent the Pacers on All-Star Weekend.”
Indiana, which has climbed to the fifth seed in the conference standings, gets 18.3 points and 8.6 assists per game from Tyrese Haliburton, and 16.4 ppg from Bennedict Mathurin. The Pacers will hope to carry over their success against the Hawks from last season, when they swept the four-game season series with Atlanta.
Just two weeks ago, it appeared the Hawks were on track to cement themselves as a playoff contender. Since Atlanta’s Jan. 18 win over the Boston Celtics, Atlanta has dropped seven straight games and has lost budding star Jalen Johnson for the season with a torn labrum in his shoulder.
Johnson, who signed a five-year extension with Atlanta before the season, was averaging 18.9 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per contest.
Johnson’s absence has placed more of an importance on the offensive play of Trae Young. Atlanta’s point guard is averaging 22.5 points and a league-high 11.4 assists per game but was left off the Eastern Conference All-Star reserve list on Thursday, much to the chagrin of his head coach Quin Snyder.
“I’m extremely disappointed,” Snyder said of Young’s snub. “I haven’t coached him for long, but I feel like he’s had the best year of his career. I think that’s statistically supported. … No disrespect to anyone who made it, but as Trae’s coach, I am allowed to feel disappointment for him not making it.”
