Watching the Indiana Pacers play is sometimes similar to watching a hurricane pass through a basketball court. They are pure speed, movement without the ball, circulation and generosity. A combination that is not only very pleasant to witness as a spectator, but is giving them excellent results. And that tonight they have sublimated in the visit of the Atlanta Hawks to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Rick Carlisle’s team has overwhelmed Georgia by a resounding 150-116, reaching 150 points for the third time so far this season and placing itself just one away from the absolute historical record during a regular league. But the most amazing thing is not the what but the how.
The Pacers made 60 field goals, of which 50 came after assists. And although the concept of attendance in the NBA is somewhat broader than in FIBA basketball, this is still an absolutely devastating fact that perfectly defines what this team is. Tyrese Haliburton, at the forefront in this matter with 18 assists, manages to find order in the chaos and coherence in the frenzy, setting an atrocious pace that is impossible for rivals to follow and that makes his teammates fly, who know that if they are in a good situation, the ball will come to them. And tonight they hardly missed any opportunities.
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Only 10 teams in NBA history had finished a game with at least 50 assists, and only one had done so in the 21st century: the Washington Wizards. It happened precisely against the Pacers in May 2021, in a game in which Russell Westbrook distributed 24 basket passes and in which the 154-141 score reflected on the score suggests that he did not defend himself too much. You have to go looking for the previous precedent much earlier, specifically in 1990, when the Suns reached five dozen by scoring 173 points against the Nuggets.
“The number of assists is tremendous, and obviously having broken the franchise’s all-time record is something that speaks volumes about the generosity of this team,” said Rick Carlisle. «It is something to celebrate, but in this league the celebration periods have to be very short. Tonight we have to go to bed thinking about Saturday’s game against Boston.
This basketball completely bypassed Atlanta, which was already down 15 in the first quarter and never gave the feeling of being in the game. The difference reached 38 points just at the start of the second half and was practically not reduced at any time, as the Pacers have found a balance between having fun and winning that made the pavilion a party to which the Hawks did not attend as guests but as sparring.
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(Cover photo: Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
2024-01-06 07:08:36
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