Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
The big guy came through for the Indiana Pacers at the right time.
Roy Hibbert played a tremendous 37-plus minutes against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 6 of the NBA East first-round series, which ended Friday in the Pacers’ 81-73 victory.
The Pacers wanted to win the game and end the series with a 4-2 advantage to avoid Game 7 in Indiana. They also wanted to show they could win on the road.
The fact that the Pacers won a highly pressurized game on the road is big news for them, and will give them added confidence going into the next round.
Anyone can win at home, but a true champion will also win road games. That’s why the Pacers had something to prove.
So, when the Pacers need a big win, who do they call on? Hibbert because he came through with flying colors. He was 8-of-14 from the floor for 17 points, had 11 rebounds and had two shot blocks.
Hibbert gives the Pacers so much power inside and he can be a force in the next round.
Some observers didn’t think the Pacers would win the first round, but they did. It’s time to move on and for Hibbert to keep playing dominating basketball. If he keeps his cool, the Pacers have a chance in the next round. But despite a nice 4-2 series win over the Hawks, Hibbert and the Pacers realize it’s going to get harder from here and they’ll have to play flawless basketball.
