Atlanta Hawks offense too hot for Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers endured a disastrous stretch that flipped the game entirely.

Indiana held a 15-point lead midway through the third quarter, up 85–70, but the final six minutes of the period unraveled quickly. The Pacers were outscored 25–7 during that span, allowing Atlanta to surge ahead 95–92 entering the fourth quarter.

The offensive struggles carried over into the final period. Indiana opened the fourth unable to generate clean looks or convert at the rim, while the Hawks extended their run with a 7–0 burst, pushing the overall surge to 32–7. The Pacers briefly responded with a 6–0 run to cut the deficit to four, but Atlanta quickly shut the door, answering with a decisive 10–2 run to regain control.

In the end, the Hawks were able to control most of the second half, outscoring Indiana 72-52 in dominating fashion.

Welcome Back, Bennedict!

After missing three weeks with a right thumb sprain, the fourth-year guard out of Arizona returned to action.

Mathurin opened the game on fire, scoring 10 points in the first quarter on 4-of-5 shooting. He followed that with six more points in the second quarter on 2-of-2 shooting, finishing the first half with 16 points and complete control offensively.

Everything unraveled after halftime. Mathurin failed to score in the second half, going 0-for-3 from the field in 12 minutes. He finished the game with a minus-25 plus-minus, all of it coming after the break, after posting an even mark in the first half.

All things considered, you have to give Bennedict the benefit of the doubt with this being his first game since returning from injury. It is also worth noting that Mathurin was on a minutes restriction and came off the bench for the first time this season. 

Other Notes

Pascal Siakam delivered another strong performance, finishing with 26 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks while anchoring both ends of the floor.

Jarace Walker continued his upward trajectory, posting 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and a game-high FIVE steals. He shot an efficient 50 percent from the field and from beyond the arc, providing impact well beyond the box score.

Johnny Furphy made his presence felt in subtler ways. He recorded 5 rebounds and 2 steals, while posting a team-best +15 in 18 minutes, consistently impacting winning plays.

Andrew Nembhard orchestrated the offense effectively, dishing out 13 assists. His scoring efficiency lagged, however, as he finished with 6 points on 3-of-10 shooting.

Aaron Nesmith knocked down three of his six attempts from three-point range, marking his second consecutive game with three makes from deep.

T.J. McConnell provided a steady spark off the bench, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and injecting energy into the second unit.

The Pacers return to action Wednesday night when they host the Chicago Bulls.