Johan Petro needs some sleep.
The Hawks center said he did not rest during a two-day journey that had him present for the birth of his first child and in the lineup for a playoff game more than 600 miles apart.
Petro left the Hawks following Game 3 of their playoff series with the Pacers on Saturday night. His expectant wife, Vanessa, was to be induced to deliver Sunday in Florida. However, she went into labor naturally, and the odyssey began that would last into Monday and nearly prevent Petro from making it back to Atlanta for Game 4 on Monday.
Here is an approximate timeline of Petro’s journey Monday.
1 p.m.: The Petro's son, Jacob, is born in south Florida.
2 p.m.: Petro's wife gives him approval to make his way to Atlanta, and he is picked up by a car service.
3:30 p.m.: Petro arrives in Fort Lauderdale to catch a private plane, arranged for by Hawks ownership.
5:20 p.m.: The plane lands in Atlanta, and Petro is picked up for the drive from the airport.
5:45 p.m.: Petro arrives at Philips Arena.
6 p.m.: The center changes clothes and goes to the court to warm up.
7:40 p.m.: Petro is in the starting lineup for tipoff.
“I try to separate the two, but it was tough yesterday,” said of his personal and business life. “I asked my wife, and she said she was good. She gave me the OK to fly back out, and (ownership) made it happen.”
The Hawks left after Tuesday’s practice to fly to Indianapolis for Game 5 of their playoff series with the Pacers on Wednesday.
There have been five births this season among the Hawks’ players and staff, including the first children for teammates Kyle Korver and Anthony Tolliver.
Fluids for Harris: Devin Harris said he didn't feel like himself in the first half of Game 4, so the guard remained in the locker room for intravenous fluids. He returned with five minutes remaining in the third quarter and had one of the Hawks' three field goals in the period after they nearly lost a 17-point halftime lead.
“My energy was kind of low,” Harris said. “I felt dehydrated. I was planning on getting (an IV) after the game, and it obviously couldn’t wait.”
Harris said he has been through the situation before, and this time the problem was caught before he started to cramp.
Harris was a full participant in Tuesday’s practice and is expected to play in Game 5 on Wednesday.
Tolliver connecting: Tolliver is 7-of-10 from the field in the series and his 6-of-8 (75 percent) from 3-point range is tied for second among players with at least six attempts.
The fifth-year pro is making his first postseason appearance this season.
“My biggest thing is I’m a thinker, and sometimes when I get out there and think too much, I don’t perform as well as I can,” Tolliver said. “My biggest thing is to go out there and play the way I know how to play.”
TV news: Game 5 of the Hawks-Pacers series will start at 8 p.m. and air nationally on NBA TV. Fox Sports South also will televise the game, to be played in Indianapolis.
The time and national network for Friday’s Game 6, in Atlanta, has yet to be determined. It is contingent on the status of several other series. The game will start at either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. and air nationally on ESPN or ESPN2 and locally on SportSouth.
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