NUMBERS GAME
A look at Jeff Teague’s statistics during the Eastern Conference playoff series with the Pacers:
Game; Pts.; Assists; Rebs.; Steals
1; 28*; 5; 3; 1
2; 14; 4; 5; 2
3; 22; 10*; 2; 1
* Career playoff high
Jeff Teague is turning into an All-Star-caliber point guard in front of a lot of eyes.
On a national stage and under the bright lights and pressure of the NBA playoffs, Teague is turning in one impressive performance after another.
It’s that time of year.
“I really don’t focus on all that,” Teague said of the attention his increased playing level may bring. “I just want to win. It’s fun if you continue to win and be able to move on.”
The No. 8-seed Hawks lead the No. 1 Pacers 2-1 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference playoff series. Game 4 is Saturday afternoon, and the host Hawks have a chance to take a commanding lead.
Teague averaged 21.3 points, tops on the team, with 6.3 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals in the first three games of the series. His aggressive play forced the Pacers to defend him with All-Star forward Paul George the past two games.
Teague turned in his first career playoff double-double with 22 points and 10 rebounds in Game 3 on Thursday night. He became the first Hawks player since Spud Webb in 1986 to have a 20-point, 10-assist playoff game. He made a running off-balance 3-pointer late in the shot clock with under three minutes left that helped the Hawks seal the 98-85 win. Teague ran back down the court with a Michael Jordan-esque shrug of his shoulders following the answered prayer.
“The playoffs and this time of year are challenging,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It’s a great time of year, and lots of guys rise to the occasion. We are fortunate that Jeff is doing that.”
Teague has made the playoffs in each of his five seasons after being drafted out of Wake Forest in 2009. In 29 previous playoff games, including 18 starts, Teague averaged 9.4 points and 3.0 assists. He has become an increasingly greater part of the Hawks’ offense. This season he has taken on a substantial role in Budenholzer’s system.
The Hawks must be glad they matched the four-year, $32 million offer sheet Teague signed with the Bucks during the offseason. His salary of $8 million per season is a bargain compared with other point guards in the league. His counterpart with the Pacers, friend George Hill, also earns $8 million per season. Yet Hill has averaged 10.3 points in the playoffs on 11-of-27 shooting, including 0-of-7 from 3-point range, and 3.3 assists. He was 1-of-11 with four points in Game 3.
“I think Jeff Teague is one of the elite point guards, and he is showing everybody what he’s been doing all season, but hasn’t been getting a lot of national pub,” teammate DeMarre Carroll said. “Jeff has to continue to do what he is doing, stay the course and let his game do the talking.”
Budenholzer credited the way Teague ended the regular season as a carryover to his postseason play. Teague went scoreless in 19 minutes in a loss to the Timberwolves on March 23. In the following 12 games to end the regular season, Teague scored in double figures in each and averaged 18.5 points. Those numbers include playing sparingly in the final two games in preparation for the playoffs.
The defensive-minded Budenholzer also credited Teague’s play as a defender as a major reason he has elevated his game.
“We see a lot of progress defensively, a lot of activity defensively,” Budenholzer said. “He is making little plays. Some of them show up in the stat sheet, some of them don’t. I really think the more he improves on that end, and the more committed he is, then it’s going to carry over to his offense and carry over to his aggressiveness. Like all of us, he has to keep improving and getting better.”
Teague has at least two more playoff games — and maybe another series — to keep elevating his game.
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