The Atlanta Hawks had lost the first three games of their homestand in appalling fashion. It wasn't the score so much as the appearance on the court. In each case, the hawks looked to be out-gunned and out-hustled by their opponent.
The Hawks managed to avoid an 0-4 homestand tonight, by pulling off a 97-87 win over the Indiana Pacers tonight. Josh Smith posted an impressive 28/12 for the Hawks, as fans can remove their fingers from the panic button.
For the moment.
Unlike the last three games, the Hawks took a big lead early and kept it. The lead reached as high as 21, and despite several Pacer runs the lead did not go back below double-digits.
Joe Johnson added another 20 points for the Hawks, while Kirk Hinrich added 17 and Tracy McGrady 13 off the Hawks' bench.
Danny Granger did his best to exploit the Hawks' apparent weakness in the middle, finishing with 21 points. He picked up only five rebounds, however, as Zaza Pachulia notched eight. Overall, the Hawks had a 45-33 edge on the boards. For tonight, what they put out there was good enough to win.
The Hawks will take their 17-9 record back out on the road for an extended trip soon. Before this homestand, the Hawks finished a 4-1 road trip. They will face Orlando Friday, return home to face the Heat Sunday, then depart for a five-game trip against the Lakers, Suns, Trail Blazers, Bulls, and Knicks over eight days.
On the bright side, at least the Hawks didn't lose an All-Star this time against Indiana.
In other news, NBA commissioner David Stern attended the game, stopping off in Atlanta after making the announcement that the 2013 All-Star Game will be held in Houston. Stern expressed confidence in the Hawks' current ownership group, which tried to sell the team last summer, saying they are "way down my list of current worries." The Hawks were almost sold over the summer's lockout, but the deal fell through.
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