Atlanta Hawks Use Strong Second Half To Beat Indiana Pacers
When the NBA decided to bump up the tip-off time for the matchup between the Atlanta Hawks and the Indiana Pacers due to inclement weather, the vibes inside State Farm Arena felt weird. It was a rushed afternoon start, the crowd was battling the elements to get there, and for the first quarter, it looked like the home team was still stuck in traffic.
But despite the chaotic circumstances and a sleepy start, Atlanta woke up just in time to deliver a performance that warmed up the frozen faithful. Behind a scorching second-half run and a balanced scoring attack, the Hawks turned a potential disaster into a 132-116 blowout victory.
Early Frost: Hawks Struggle To Find Rhythm
The first 12 minutes were ugly. With Zaccharie Risacher still sidelined, Corey Kispert got the nod in the starting lineup again, but the unit struggled to find cohesion early. The Hawks came out flat, playing with the energy of a team that had their pre-game nap interrupted. They were sloppy with the basketball, coughing up turnovers that led to easy buckets for Indiana.
Defensively, Atlanta’s perimeter protection was practically nonexistent. The Pacers were cutting to the basket at will, treating the paint like an open layup line. When you looked up at the scoreboard and saw an 18-11 deficit that quickly ballooned, it felt like one of those nights. The Hawks trailed 38-34 after one, and were lucky it wasn’t worse.
The Spark Before Halftime
The second quarter was a rollercoaster of emotions. For the first six minutes, the defense somehow got worse. The deficit stretched to 11, and the groans from the crowd were audible. But just when it looked like the Pacers might run away with it, the bench mob stepped up.
Christian Koloko provided the defensive anchor the team desperately needed, swatting away a couple of shots with emphatic rejections that finally got the bench on its feet. But the real story was CJ McCollum. The veteran guard decided to turn back the clock, getting into a rhythm that Indiana simply couldn’t disrupt. He poured in 17 points in the first half alone, shooting a blistering 5-for-6 from deep. Thanks to his heroics, the Hawks managed to trim the lead to 64-60 at the break.
The Third Quarter Avalanche
Whatever was said in the locker room at halftime needs to be bottled and sold. After Pascal Siakam hit a three to put Indiana up by 13 early in the third, the Hawks flipped a switch.
This wasn’t just a run; it was an offensive explosion. Luke Kennard, who has been lethal from beyond the arc lately, caught fire. He knocked down back-to-back triples and then embarrassed the defense with a nifty give-and-go cut to the rim. His energy was contagious.
Suddenly, the shots that were clanking in the first half were splashing through the net. The Hawks ripped off a staggering 25-7 run to close the quarter, turning a double-digit deficit into a 95-92 lead heading into the final frame. The momentum had completely shifted, and the Pacers looked shell-shocked.
Hawks Close the Door In the Fourth
Great teams know how to step on the opponent’s throat when they have the lead, and Atlanta did exactly that. Bridging the third and fourth quarters, the Hawks put together a massive 17-0 run that effectively put the game out of reach. A deep three from Kennard served as the dagger, pushing the lead to double digits and sending the Pacers packing.
Indiana tried to make it interesting with a quick 6-0 spur, but Atlanta responded immediately. They executed their sets, took care of the ball, and salted the game away.
Dyson Daniels was spectacular, finishing with 22 points and 9 assists. Perhaps more importantly, he finally saw a three-pointer go down for the first time since mid-December, getting a massive monkey off his back. With McCollum and Nickeil Alexander-Walker also dropping 20+ points, it was a team effort.
The Hawks move to 23-25 on the season. They survived the snow, they survived the schedule change, and they survived a slow start. Next up? A trip to Boston to face the Celtics.
