Tip-off: Friday, 7:00 p.m. ET
Line: Atlanta -4.5

The Hawks will be going for their third straight victory when they host the Pacers on Friday.

Indiana is coming off of a very solid victory over Brooklyn, winning 114-100 as a 6.5-point road favorite. The Pacers have now won three of their past four games and the team is thriving offensively, putting up 106 points or more in each of the past four. They will need to be ready to play offensively because this Hawks team sure knows how to score. Atlanta is coming off of a 124-86 victory as a seven-point road favorite in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The team shot 52.2% from the field and has now shot at least 52% in its past two games. These teams have met twice this season and Indiana has won-and-covered in both meetings. The Pacers were, however, playing at home in both of those games. The Hawks are actually 4-3 SU but just 3-4 ATS when hosting the Pacers over the past three seasons. These teams have split victories SU overall in that span, but the Pacers are 8-7-1 ATS in those games. Indiana is 18-8 ATS against Southeast division opponents over the past two seasons, but the team is facing a Hawks group that is 44-24 ATS when the total is 200 to 209.5 over the past two seasons. C Ian Mahinmi (Back) is expected to miss this game for the Pacers and C Tiago Splitter (Hip) is likely out for the Hawks.

The Pacers are playing some good basketball as of late and that has a lot to do with the emergence of C Myles Turner (9.5 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 1.5 BPG). Over the past five games, Turner is averaging 13.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 2.6 BPG. He has blocked 11 shots over the past three games and is really providing some reliable rim protection for Indiana. If he can continue to hold his own offensively and avoid foul trouble then he will be a huge boost for this Pacers team the rest of the season. His size will certainly be a help against a Hawks team that has a very talented frontcourt. One guy that must play better for Indiana is SF Paul George (23.1 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.0 SPG). George looked excellent in the first half of the season and appeared to be on his way to being in the MVP conversation, but he is averaging just 17.8 PPG over the past five contests. He is shooting just 36.6% from the field in those games and must be a lot more efficient moving forward. George also needs to find a way to contribute against the Hawks on Friday. He is averaging just 10.0 PPG on 20.0% shooting from the field in two meetings with Atlanta and that is not going to cut it on the road in this one.

The Hawks are coming off of a blowout victory over the Sixers, but this game is surely going to be a lot tougher. One guy that will need to come to play for Atlanta is PG Jeff Teague (14.8 PPG, 5.5 APG, 1.3 SPG). Teague has looked very good recently, averaging 18.6 PPG, 4.8 APG and 1.8 SPG on 55.0% shooting from the field and 57.9% shooting from the outside over the past five games. His name has been coming up in trade rumors, but if he continues to play like this then the Hawks are likely going to keep him. He was an All-Star last year and with him playing his best basketball the team may be able to compete in the Eastern Conference. PF Paul Millsap (17.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.3 BPG) will need to be a lot better for Atlanta if the team is going to compete, though. Millsap is averaging just 10.6 PPG on 36.0% shooting from the field over the past five games and that needs to change for the Hawks. He is their most reliable player offensively and must be more efficient beginning on Friday. C Al Horford (15.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.5 BPG) must also be good inside on Friday. He’ll be going up against the red-hot Turner and if he can play his game then it’d be a good sign for Atlanta.