Daniel Shirey – USA Today Sports Images
The Atlanta Hawks, after looking abysmal in the first two games, have made things interesting in their series with the Indiana Pacers. The Hawks took games three and four, but lost game five and are now preparing for game six in Atlanta. However, their loss in game five was in a game that could have swung either way, much different from games one and two where Atlanta seemed completely out of it.
Things started changing for the Hawks in game three when head coach Larry Drew decided to switch up his lineup and start Johan Petro at center. The move would then move the Hawks star, Al Horford, to the power forward which is his more natural position.
Horford played the first two games of the series at the center and struggled mightily playing undersized against the gigantic Pacers center, Roy Hibbert. In those first two games Horford averaged just 13.5 points, eight rebounds, four assists and 0.5 blocks per game on 52.2 percent shooting. Between the physical toll he was taking and how ineffective he was, the Hawks had to do something to get him going.
Since moving Horford to the power forward, though, he has looked like the star of the team once again. In his three games since the change in the lineup, Horford has averaged 19.3 points, 10 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.9 percent from the field. The move has allowed him to be more aggressive offensively and to have a bigger impact on the defensive end.
The Hawks still might lose this series eventually still, but the choice to move Horford to his more natural position has put them in contention, something they couldn’t say before the change was made. If they are somehow able to take the series, though, Horford dominating at the power forward will be an enormous reason why.
Cody Williams is a Senior NBA Writer with Rant Sports. Follow Cody on Twitter @TheSizzle20 and like his Facebook page.
