It’s playoff time and the Indiana Pacers have the number one seed in the East. But rather than celebrating the franchise’s third best ever record, it’s more of a sigh of relief, the relief that after an almost utter collapse at the end of the season, they somehow found a way to stay in front of the pack.

Series Schedule

Game 1 in Indianapolis: Saturday, April 19, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN

Game 2 in Indianapolis: Tuesday, April 22, 7 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 3 in Atlanta: Thursday, April 24, 7 p.m. ET, NBATV

Game 4 in Atlanta: Saturday, April 26, 2 p.m. ET, TNT

Game 5 in Indianapolis (if necessary): Monday, April 28, 8 p.m. ET, NBATV

Game 6 in Atlanta (if necessary): Thursday, May 1

Game 7 in Indianapolis (if necessary): Saturday, May 3

Everyone’s counting the Pacers out. They say that the Pacers mediocre 15-13 record after the all-star break shows weakness and a lack of consistency. They say that after the departure of Danny Granger and the arrival of Evan Turner, the locker room is in shambles and Coach Vogel may be on the way out. They say that after a 9-0 start to the season and the Eastern Conference’s best record, there’s no hope for a NBA title. That’s simply an over reaction.

Sure, Roy Hibbert may be struggling. But are we forgetting that even when he doesn’t score, he’s a defensive monster in the paint and a consistent rebounder? George Hill may be on a rough stretch, but don’t all players go through those stretches. As long as he continues to facilitate the ball to Paul George and Lance Stephenson and is more aggressive in his offensive game, he’s not a liability. The Pacers are known for stepping up their game in the spotlight and there is no bigger spotlight than the playoffs.

The Pacers will play the Atlanta Hawks (38-44) in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The two teams have split the season series 2-2, with each team winning a game away from home.

Head to Head Matchups

Point Guards

George Hill vs. Jeff Teague

Statistically, Teague has been the better scorer in this head to head match up. While Teague is the quicker smaller point guard who loves to drive, Hill is bigger, more physical, and the better perimeter shooter

Shooting Guards

Lance Stephenson vs. Kyle Korver

You couldn’t get two more opposite shooting guards in terms of playing style than these two. Stephenson loves to attack the paint and get easy buckets inside, while Korver is a spot up shooter that can hurt us from the three-point arc.

Small Forwards

Paul George vs. DeMarre Carroll

The differences in talent is clearly evident in this head to heat match up. George being an NBA star while Carroll is likely to come off the bench on most NBA teams. It’s safe to say that Paul George will have a favorable matchup in this one, with George’s +/- differential +14 against Carroll in the three games that they played against each other.

Power Forwards

David West vs. Paul Millsap

David West has played well against the Hawks averaging 15 points per game against them. Paul Millsap is the Hawks best player, and will likely have to be break out player if the Hawks want to have any chance in advancing.

Centers

Roy Hibbert vs Pero Antic

This will be the most interesting matchup in the series. Unlike David West, Roy Hibbert has not played well against the Hawks. Pero Antic who is an uncharacteristic NBA center who likes to play on the perimeter and shoot three’s has hurt Hibbert in the past

Benches

The bench is another indication of the Pacers superior talent. While Andrew Bynum won’t be available for the series, CJ Watson, Luis Scola, and Evan Turner all have the ability to score twenty plus points off the bench and give the Pacers a huge boost. On the other hand, the Hawks will have to rely on players like Elton Brand, Mike Scott, and Cartier Martin to hold their own while their starters rest.

Final Prediction

On paper it may seem like a potential upset, especially given the Pacers recent struggles, but it just seems too far-fetched. The Hawks just don’t have the talent to compete in a seven game series.

Pacers advance (4-1)