Peachtree Hoops - Feb 18: Pacers 108, Hawks 98The place to read about/discuss the Atlanta Hawks.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/8811/peachtree-fave.jpg2014-02-19T09:30:02-05:00http://www.peachtreehoops.com/rss/stream/51849872014-02-19T09:30:02-05:002014-02-19T09:30:02-05:00Carroll still battling hamstring injury
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>DeMarre Carroll missed his second straight game Tuesday night and it doesn't sound like he will be ready for Wednesday's game against Washington either. </p> <p>Atlanta has been dealt a tough hand to deal with due to a rising number of injuries in conjunction with a six-game losing streak. It doesn't look like the situation will get any better anytime soon as <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> continues to battle a nagging hamstring injury.</p>
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<p>Does not sound like DeMarre Carroll will be able to play Wednesday. Said hamstring is still an issue. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ATLHawks&src=hash">#ATLHawks</a></p>
— Chris Vivlamore (@ajchawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajchawks/statuses/435968400116817920">February 19, 2014</a>
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<p>Atlanta has gone 1-5 without Carroll this season and have very little depth behind him at the small forward position. <span>Cartier Martin</span>, on his second 10-day contract, got the start against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Pacers</a>. Carroll has performed exceptionally well since agreeing to a two-year deal over the summer. Now the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a> just need him to get healthy.</p>
<p>Atlanta finished Tuesday night's game with one available center in <span>Elton Brand</span> after <span>Gustavo Ayon</span> left with a shoulder injury. Ayon will be reevaluated on Wednesday but if he is unable to go Atlanta will be forced into using a lot of small lineups against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Wizards</a>.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/19/5425344/demarre-carroll-injury-hamstring-atlanta-hawksKris Willis2014-02-19T08:00:06-05:002014-02-19T08:00:06-05:00Losing streak continues; signs of life from Hawks
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>There is little on the positive side when a team is in the midst of a 6-game losing skid, but if the final 40 minutes of Tuesday's game are any indication, Atlanta could be breaking out of the wilderness quickly.</p> <p>With 4:37 left in the 1st quarter on Tuesday night, the <a href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Atlanta Hawks</a> trailed by a score of 31-9.</p>
<p>Read that sentence again.</p>
<p>The above notion seems impossible, especially given that 31 points in just over 7 minutes is borderline ridiculous in the NBA, but that is exactly what happened after a crazy spurt that saw the <a href="https://www.indycornrows.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pacers</a> shoot 13 of their first 14 from the field in annihilating the Hawks in the early going. That small length of time seems to be the largest "takeaway" from the 108-98 loss on Tuesday, but to be candid, there is much more to glean from the final 40+ minutes than first segment.</p>
<p>Yes, NBA games are 48 minutes by nature, and as a result, Atlanta certainly deserved to lose, but in the midst of a now 6-game losing streak, it takes a bit of will to emerge from the depths of what could have been a horrendous defeat. The Hawks closed the first quarter on a 14-4 run that included Kyle Korver's first three that extended his NBA-record streak to 121 games. From there, the team persevered in the second quarter, eventually cutting Indy's lead to 52-49 with just 1:01 to play on the back of another Korver triple.</p>
<p>That 3-point margin was as close as the team would get to prosperity again, and that is unfortunate, simply because I saw a team that played incredibly hard on Tuesday night. By the end of the game and after injuries to <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> (who missed the entire game), <span>Lou Williams</span>, and <span>Gustavo Ayon</span>, the Hawks were down to 8 healthy bodies with none of them being taller than 6-foot-8 against one of the most physical front lines in basketball. It is true that by that point in the 4th quarter, the game was all but wrapped up, but there was no "quit" here amid tough circumstances (and with a back-to-back looming), and the 10-point margin of defeat became utterly respectable.</p>
<p>On a night where the team's best two players, <span>Paul Millsap</span> and Jeff Teague, combined to score just 15 points on 6-for-18 shooting, the bench stepped up (yet again) to keep things competitive. Lou Williams had his best game in quite some time with 18 points on 9 shots over 30 minutes of court time, <span>Shelvin Mack</span> was the best point guard on the roster on this night with 11 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds, and the Mike Scott-Elton Brand duo combined for 21 points and 15 rebounds in support of their banged-up teammates.</p>
<p>With the trade deadline approaching on Thursday and the longest losing streak in quite some time (for reference, the Hawks last lost 6 in a row in April 2011 and haven't lost 7 in a row since 2007), it would be easy to pile on with negativity in the near aftermath of this defeat. However, the majority of failures during this 48-minute excursion are explainable (with the possible exception of <span>Jeff Teague's</span> no-show in the the early going) given the dominant opponent, the rough venue, and the "rust" factor, leaving us in a place where analysis of the bigger picture is likely best.</p>
<p>Placing this edition of the Hawks on the court in Indiana without <span>Al Horford</span>, <span>Pero Antic</span>, and DeMarre Carroll is borderline cruel, but when you accept that, this team fought valiantly... for 40 minutes.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/19/5425336/hawks-vs-pacers-recapBrad Rowland2014-02-18T21:18:09-05:002014-02-18T21:18:09-05:00Hawks emerge from All-Star break with 108-98 loss
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<figcaption>Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>After an epic disaster in the opening minutes against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night, the Atlanta Hawks fought valiantly, but still emerged from the All-Star break with a 108-98 loss. </p> <p>For the final 40 minutes of Tuesday night's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> played reasonably well, but in the end, the first 8 minutes did them in on the way to a 108-98 loss. The 10-point defeat represents the 6th straight loss for the Hawks, and an early 31-9 deficit was the major culprit in extending their season-long losing skid.</p>
<p>The Pacers began the night with a vicious barrage, scoring 31 points in just over 7 minutes on the stretch of a blistering 13-for-14 start from the field. Of course, the Hawks weren't void of responsibility in the run with 7 turnovers (finishing the night with 22 in all), but Indy's intense start dwarfed a visibly rusty Hawks team, and from that point on, it took a herculean effort from Mike Budenholzer's team to even close the gap to a reasonable margin.</p>
<p><span>Lou Williams</span> and <span>Shelvin Mack</span> spurred a big-time run between the 1st and 2nd quarters (eventually bringing Atlanta within 3), as Williams scored 14 of his 18 points before the break (before leaving with a reported headache), and Mack added 7 points and 3 assists in the first 24 minutes on the way to 11 points and 7 assists for the night. Unfortunately, they weren't accompanied by an above-average night from either <span>Paul Millsap</span> (3-10 FG, 7 points, 8 rebounds) or <span>Jeff Teague</span> (8 points, 2 assists, 4 turnovers), and only <span>Kyle Korver</span> (19 points, 5 assists, 5-7 from 3-point land) and <span>Mike Scott</span> (13 points, 7 rebounds) were exceedingly effective.</p>
<p>On the Pacers side, it was the <span>Paul George</span> show from the outset, and it is no surprise that one of the best players in the NBA was able to have his way with an Atlanta defense that didn't have its best perimeter defender in DeMarre Carroll. George's 26 points led the way for Indy, and noted Hawks killer <span>David West</span> added 17 points and 6 rebounds for good measure.</p>
<p>It is tough to just "brush off" the hideous start that occurred in this one, especially after what should have been a beneficial week of rest, but at the same time, the Pacers present an incredible challenge to even the full-strength Hawks, and this was a painfully reduced edition. There will be no breathing room for Atlanta following this one, as they re-open their home schedule with a date against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bulletsforever.com/">Washington Wizards</a> on Wednesday night at Philips Arena.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5424352/hawks-vs-pacers-final-scoreBrad Rowland2014-02-18T19:57:09-05:002014-02-18T19:57:09-05:00Gustavo Ayon leaves game with shoulder injury
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<p>During the first half of Tuesday's game against the Indiana Pacers, Atlanta Hawks center Gustavo Ayon was forced to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury. </p> <p><i><b>UPDATE #2: </b>Ayon has been ruled out for the second half, per the team's official Twitter account.</i></p>
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<p>Gustavo's night is done. He will not play in the second half.</p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/statuses/435946459775508480">February 19, 2014</a>
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<p><i>Update: Gustavo Ayon has checked back into the game. </i></p>
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<p>Nevermind...Goose is back. Checking in now.</p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/statuses/435941634119712768">February 19, 2014</a>
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<p>Midway through the 2nd quarter in the game between the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> and the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> on Tuesday night, the road team suffered an unfortunate loss, at least for the time being.</p>
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<p>Gustavo has a right shoulder injury. His return is questionable, per our PR team.</p>
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/statuses/435940601192669184">February 19, 2014</a>
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<p>As noted above, Hawks starting center <span>Gustavo Ayon</span> was relegated to the locker room as a result of an apparent shoulder injury, and though there is little in the way of detail, this could be a disastrous loss. Normally, a player like Ayon wouldn't be considered to be "vital", but with the current state of the Atlanta front line, <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> would be forced into using some combination of <span>Elton Brand</span>, <span>Paul Millsap</span>, and <span>Mike Scott</span> against the much bigger Indiana front line.</p>
<p>More details should become available as the night goes on, but unless Ayon is able to return in the second half, the Hawks have a unique challenge ahead of them.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5424178/gustavo-ayon-injury-hawks-pacersBrad Rowland2014-02-18T18:48:39-05:002014-02-18T18:48:39-05:00DeMarre Carroll out against Pacers
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks will be missing starting small forward DeMarre Carroll as a result of a hamstring strainwhen they resume their schedule against the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.</p> <p>Earlier in the day on Tuesday, it was announced that <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Hawks</a> small forward <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> was a "game-time decision" for tonight's game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a>, and now, we have some clarity on his status.</p>
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<p>Carroll definitely out. Cartier Martin gets the start. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23ATLHawks&src=hash">#ATLHawks</a></p>
— Chris Vivlamore (@ajchawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajchawks/statuses/435923586553901056">February 18, 2014</a>
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<p>This is devastating news with regard to the prospects of a victory. Carroll was absent from Atlanta's final game before the All-Star break (a 21-point defeat in Toronto), and without him this season, the Hawks been an abject disaster, posting a 1-4 record with multiple blowout defeats. Because his injury has been described as a minor strain, there is little worry of this becoming a severe concern moving forward, but the fact that he wasn't able to recover over the long break is a bit disconcerting.</p>
<p>From a match-up perspective, Carroll's unavailability is even more significant given that Indiana deploys one of the best wing players in the NBA in Paul George. In his absence, <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> will look to play <span>Cartier Martin</span> (who is reportedly starting) some extended minutes in an effort to keep <span>Kyle Korver</span> fresh, but against a team like Indiana who possesses two upper-tier wings with George and Lance Stephenson, it's a tough a match-up for the size-challenged Hawks.</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5423516/demarre-carroll-injury-hawks-pacersBrad Rowland2014-02-18T18:00:06-05:002014-02-18T18:00:06-05:00Hawks vs Pacers game thread
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<figcaption>Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Atlanta Hawks emerge from the All-Star break carrying the weight of a five-game losing streak. Things don't get any easier as they get set to take on the East leading Indiana Pacers Tuesday night. Discuss all of the action here:</p> <p></p>
<br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><br><table cellpadding="5" align="center" border="1" cellspacing="5" class="sbnu-legacy-content-table"><tbody> <tr> <th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center">2014 NBA Regular Season Game 52</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240"><center><center> <a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/1684925/5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/1684925/5mdhgjh3aa92kih09pgi_medium.gif"></a> <br id="1383311452377"><strong>(25-26)</strong> </center></center></td> <th width="20" align="center">vs</th> <td width="240"><center> <center> <a target="_blank" href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/1700843/Pacers.gif"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/1700843/Pacers_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="Pacers_medium"></a> <br id="1392687423741"><br> </center> <center><strong>(40-12)</strong></center> </center></td> </tr> <tr> <td bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><strong>Tuesday, February 18, 2014</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>7 p.m. </strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="3" align="center"><strong>SportSouth, 92.9 FM "The Game"</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center">Probable Starters</th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Jeff Teague</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PG</th> <td width="240"><span>George Hill</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Kyle Korver</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SG</th> <td width="240"><span>Lance Stephenson</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>DeMarre Carroll</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">SF</th> <td width="240"><span>Paul George</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><strong><span>Paul Millsap</span></strong></td> <th width="20" align="center">PF</th> <td width="240"><span>David West</span></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right"><font color="#292929"><strong><span>Gustavo Ayon</span></strong></font></td> <th width="20" align="center">C</th> <td width="240"><span>Roy Hibbert</span></td> </tr> <tr> <th bgcolor="silver" colspan="3" align="center"><strong>2013-14 Advanced Stats</strong></th> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right">97.19 (12th)</td> <th width="20" align="center">Pace</th> <td width="240">95.86 (18th)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right">103.4 (16th)</td> <th width="20" align="center">ORtg</th> <td width="240">102.2 (19th)</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="240" align="right">102.7 (13th)</td> <th width="20" align="center">DRtg</th> <td width="240">93.6 (1st)</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
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<h4>For in-game updates be sure to follow <a href="http://www.twitter.com/peachtreehoops">Peachtree Hoops on Twitter</a>.</h4>
<p><a class="twitter-timeline" href="https://twitter.com/peachtreehoops" data-widget-id="381763477364150272" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Tweets by @peachtreehoops</a></p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5420964/atlanta-hawks-vs-indiana-pacers-game-threadKris Willis2014-02-18T12:04:02-05:002014-02-18T12:04:02-05:00DeMarre Carroll a Game-Time Decision
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<figcaption>Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Carroll may be out as the Hawks take on the first-place Pacers.</p> <p>The Hawks announced this morning that forward <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> will be a game-time decision for tonight's game at the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Pacers</a>. Carroll sat in last Wednesday's loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.raptorshq.com/">Raptors</a> due to a left-hamstring strain.</p>
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<p>Coach Bud says DeMarre is a game-time decision tonight. Pero remains out.</p>
— <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> (@ATLHawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/statuses/435819852331110401">February 18, 2014</a>
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<p>Given the injury problems and struggles for the Hawks of late, Atlanta fans surely were hoping the All-Star Break would be enough to rest up the tired Carroll. This would be a big hole as the Hawks take on the first-place Pacers. We'll see come game time.</p>
<p>In related news, <span>Pero Antic</span> is still out and has not begun practicing. Should be a few more weeks until his foot is good to go.</p>
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https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5422686/demarre-carroll-a-game-time-decisionJane Hammond2014-02-18T10:01:12-05:002014-02-18T10:01:12-05:00Hawks return from the All-Star break in Indiana
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<figcaption>Daniel Shirey-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Before the All-Star break, the Atlanta Hawks were embroiled in a five-game losing streak, but with a few days off to catch their breath, the slate is wiped clean as they head to Indiana to take on the Pacers on Tuesday night. </p> <p>It has been nearly a week since the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.peachtreehoops.com/">Atlanta Hawks</a> took to the court as a unit, but that period of rest comes to an end on Tuesday when they face off with the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.indycornrows.com/">Indiana Pacers</a> in a tough road test. Prior to the All-Star break, the Hawks were losers of five consecutive games, and that ugly spurt doubled as their longest losing skid of the season. With that, the break came at just the right time, and with the exception of Paul Millsap (who was busy in New Orleans), the entirety of the roster should be 100% fresh and ready to roll.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the Pacers have been the best team in the Eastern Conference this season, as they enter Tuesday's game with a 40-12 overall record and a sparkling 25-3 mark in their home building. A 4-point loss to Indiana just two weeks ago was actually the beginning of the current five-game losing streak, but earlier in the season, the Hawks were able to hand the Pacers a 10-point defeat, and both games have been incredibly competitive.</p>
<p>On the whole, this is a painfully difficult match-up, but the most challenging part of this game will be on the offensive end. Roy Hibbert, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="#">Paul George</a> and company lead the league's top-ranked defense, and the Pacers have allowed just 93.6 points per 100 possessions on the season. Knocking off rust could be a potential issue as well, but with more of Indiana's team being involved in All-Star Weekend (George, Hibbert, and head coach <span>Frank Vogel</span>), the Pacers may have a bit more jet-lag in their step despite being in the friendly confines of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.</p>
<p>The Hawks have been able to do yeoman's work containing Roy Hibbert, but the lack of depth on the front line for Atlanta still presents a challenge against Indy's behemoth center. The 7-foot-2 center is the front-runner for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, but he is only averaging 5 points and 5 rebounds per game against the Hawks this season, and that brings some encouragement for the <span>Gustavo Ayon</span>/<span>Elton Brand</span> duo. On the perimeter, though, <span>DeMarre Carroll</span> and company will have their hands full dealing with the Paul George-Lance Stephenson combination, and guys like <span>Cartier Martin</span> could see extended minutes of <span>Mike Budenholzer</span> simply can't utilize small lineups against Indy's significant size on the wing.</p>
<p>Lastly, the second half will seemingly be huge for <span>Jeff Teague</span>, and that begins here. His opponent in this match-up, <span>George Hill</span>, is significantly bigger and more physical than Teague, and in the past, that type of disadvantage has given the point guard fits. Teague's numbers have been on a steady decline since his early All-Star push this season, and if the Hawks are going to have any sort of prayer in hanging near or above the .500 mark, his resurgence will be needed.</p>
<p>In all fairness, this is one of the more difficult spots in the entire NBA, given the fantastic play of the Pacers in their home building. However, any negativity that has mounted throughout this losing streak will resurface if Atlanta has a disappointing showing in this spot, and that alone puts a shining spotlight on the game at hand.</p>
<h3>Game Info</h3>
<p><b>Game Date/Time:</b> Tuesday, February 18, 7 p.m. ET</p>
<p><b>Location: </b>Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana</p>
<p><b>TV: </b>SportSouth</p>
<p><b>Radio:</b> 92.9 "The Game" FM</p>
https://www.peachtreehoops.com/2014/2/18/5419762/hawks-vs-pacers-preview-time-tv-radioBrad Rowland