Can the Indiana Pacers stop this slide? That is the question everyone is asking going into the No. 1 vs. No. 8 matchup in the Eastern Conference. Indiana is just 11-13 since the start of March, and have struggled mightily as inner strife and the benching of starters has called into question the team who held the best record in the NBA for long periods of the regular season.
NBA playoff predictions 2014, Pacers vs. Hawks: Does Atlanta stand a chance?
Indiana is looking to turn things around in the Eastern Conference playoffs with a first round victory against the No. 8 seed Atlanta Hawks.
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The Pacers' problems make for great news for the Atlanta Hawks who have quietly slipped into the final spot in the East, beating out the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers. Atlanta has done a number on the Pacers all season, beating them twice to level the season series at 2-2. The Hawks have moved the ball well to create three-point opportunities against the Pacers, and they have coupled that with a strong attack at the free throw line. Still, beating the Pacers would be a monumental upset.
The picks:
| Paul Flannery | Pacers in 5 |
| Mike Prada | Pacers in 6 |
| Ricky O'Donnell | Pacers in 5 |
| Doug Eberhardt | Pacers in 4 |
| Tom Ziller | Pacers in 5 |
| Indy Cornrows | Pacers in 5 |
| Peachtree Hoops | Pacers in 6 |
My pick:
Indiana hasn't looked good lately, but recency bias is no way to settle on a playoff prediction. A playoff series is a pressure cooker, and outside of Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap and 25 of the 32 minutes Jeff Teague will play every night, Atlanta doesn't have the ingredients to beat a stacked Pacers team. Atlanta has played Indiana tough in Georgia, so expect them to at least put up a fight. Pacers in 5.
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