The Indiana Pacers are struggling to put the ball in the basket — but it hardly matters. The Pacers have won three straight and eight of nine as they take the NBA's best record into Atlanta to face the Hawks on Wednesday. The Hawks, who have matched their longest losing streak of the season at three games, are coming off a 91-86 loss at Brooklyn on Monday.
The Pacers have slumped at the offensive end - they've failed to reach 90 points in three of their last four games - but they're getting by thanks being the best defensive team in the league. "We're not shooting the ball that well from the perimeter - a little out of sync, a little out of rhythm," Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "Just one of those points in the season." Atlanta is 2-4 since losing big man Al Horford, who led the team in scoring and rebounds when he suffered a torn pectoral muscle Dec. 26, but the Hawks remain in third place in the weak Eastern Conference.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, SportSouth (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE PACERS (28-6): Indiana is proving it can hurt opponents in different ways, whether its in the post with Roy Hibbert (12.8 points, 8 rebounds) and David West (12.3 points, 6.7 rebounds) or off the dribble with Paul George (22.9 points, 5.9 rebounds) and Lance Stephenson (13.4 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists). Stephenson just missed his fourth triple-double of the season with 13 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists against the Raptors. The bench is getting deeper as former All-Star Danny Granger continues to work his way back from a string of injuries; he had 13 points and six rebounds in a season-high 32 minutes against Toronto.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (18-17): Atlanta's offense doesn't run as smoothly without Horford (18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds), but the Hawks have enough offensive talent to get by if they can make the necessary adjustments. Paul Millsap (17.6 points, 8.7 rebounds) is having an outstanding first season in Atlanta, and point guard Jeff Teague (16.9 points, eight assists) has blossomed. The Hawks shoot a respectable 37 percent from 3-point range, and they'll likely have to rely on their outside shooting a good deal the rest of the season.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pacers have lost 11 straight in Atlanta since Dec. 22, 2006.
2. Atlanta's Kyle Korver has extended his NBA-record streak to 104 games with at least one 3-pointer.
3. Indiana is 26-2 when holding opponents under 100 points.