Pacers vs. Hawks: 3 things you need to know

EAST
(1) IND vs. (8) ATL | (2) MIA vs. (7) CHA
(3) TOR vs. (6) BKN | (4) CHI vs. (5) WAS
WEST
(1) SAS vs. (8) DAL | (2) OKC vs. (7) MEM
(3) LAC vs. (6) GSW | (4) HOU vs. (5) POR

The Indiana Pacers, owners of the top record in the Eastern Conference, host the Atlanta Hawks, who backed into a playoff spot, in round one. Blame the New York Knicks for the presence of a team with a 38-44 record in the playoffs and lament the 48-34 Phoenix Suns being on the outside looking in, but don't look past this series as one with a bit of upset potential in the opening round.

Indiana hosts Atlanta on Saturday to open up the seven-game series. Here are the three things you need to know:

These are not the early-season Pacers

The Pacers finished the season atop the Eastern Conference with a 56-26 record. That's better than Miami, that's much better than Atlanta, and it's better than any team outside of the West's top three. They were very, very good.

That is, they were very good early in the year. Since March 4, the Pacers are 9-13, leading to in-fighting, a search for answers and finger-pointing. The change in production is striking:

There are plenty of explanations, of course, from fatigue to the malaise caused by a long season where the only tangible goal to focus on was finishing ahead of Miami. The key players got some rest down the stretch, and it's possible that the renewed motivation that comes with playoff basketball will see this crew return to their dominant ways.

The Macedonian Madman

Pero Antic averaged seven points and 4.2 rebounds as a rookie this season, appearing in 50 games for the Hawks. He doesn't block shots, he doesn't collect steals, and he shoots only 41.8 percent from the floor.

But he's 6-foot-11 and 260-pounds, and may be the key to any upset potential for Mike Budenholzer's troops. To wit, take a gander at the hell Antic caused the Pacers this season:

The Pacers didn't play well against the Hawks anyway, but in the two games that Antic missed, Indiana managed to eke out victories. In the two that Antic was present, Indiana didn't stand a chance.

It seems odd to highlight a 31-year-old rookie playing 18.5 minutes a game as a key to the series, but the numbers likely have Frank Vogel scratching his head.

Trillsap vs. 17-Foot Assassin

These two teams boast two of the deadliest scoring power forwards in the game, but Paul Millsap and David West couldn't come about their scoring in more different ways. 

West, known as the 17-Foot Assassin, utilizes a deadly mid-range game to average 14 points on 48.8 percent shooting, adding 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists for good measure. Nearly half of his shots (48.9 percent) come from between 10-feet out and the 3-point line, where he shoots 47.5 percent.

Millsap, meanwhile, is a less adept mid-range shooter, hitting just 34.2 percent of 2-point shots outside of 10 feet. But he doesn't take that many - just 21.5 percent of his attempts come from there - instead opting to bully his way to the rim and, perhaps most importantly, hit the 3-point shot. Millsap averages 17.9 points thanks in large part to hitting one three a game at a 35.8 percent clip, adding 8.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists to give him a narrow offensive edge over West, who is five years his senior.

(Note: Player stats are through April 15, per NBA.com.)

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