Indiana head coach Jim O'Brien attempted to shake up his rotation last night vs the Spurs, giving Tyler Hansbrough (5.7-3.7) his first start of the season and only the second of his career. The change helped but in the end, the Pacers lost again. Hansbrough set career highs of 23 points and 12 rebounds but Indiana would blow a 15-point third-quarter. Incredibly, the Pacers would make just ONE of 15 fourth-quarter FG attempts, getting outscored 26-12 in the final period of a 90-87 loss. Things don't figure to get much better tonight in Atlanta, where the Pacers have lost SEVEN straight games by an average of 11.0 PPG. Indiana has lost five of six, with the only win in that stretch coming at home on 12/31 to Washington, which is remains the lone winless road team in the NBA at 0-17. Speaking of road woes, the Pacers have lost their last EIGHT away from home, going 1-6-1 ATS. As for the Hawks, they are back home off a four-game trip, losing the opening game at Okla City but then winning the final three. The Hawks have been playing well since Joe Johnson returned to the lineup. Johnson missed nine games from December 1-16 due to an operation on his right elbow. He was expected to miss four-to-six weeks but he surprisingly returned on Dec 17 and the Hawks have won EIGHT of 11 since that return. Johnson has averaged 20.5 PPG since getting back on the court and is up to 18.4-4.1-5.4 on the season. Small forward Williams (11.0-4.8) is again struggling with some ailment (now it's his back) but the other "main Hawks" are all doing their jobs. Horford (16.3-9.6) and Josh Smith (15.8-8.6) up front plus PG Bibby (9.9-4.1 APG) and last year's sixth-man-of-the-year Jamal Crawford (15.8-3.6 APG) in the backcourt. The Pacers HAVE to be down off last night's collapse and history says that Atlanta is NOT the place to get back on track.
