Hawks coach Larry Drew reiterated Thursday that he had no problem with the officiating in the team’s Game 5 loss to the Pacers. Drew said the same after a 106-83 loss Wednesday in the first-round playoff series, despite his team getting hit with three technical fouls.
What Drew did have a problem with was the way his team lost its composure, much the same way it did in losses in games 1 and 2.
“The way we went at the officials, it was like we were playing the blame game again,” Drew said. “I thought we got a great whistle. We got to the free-throw line. It wasn’t the whistle. The way we responded was not the way to get it down. Not in the playoffs. You have to be much tougher, mentally you have to be stronger. … You have to have thick skin. You can’t let things rattle you.”
The Hawks took two more free throws than the host Pacers, 37-35. In making 30 of the 37 attempts, the Hawks shot 81.1 percent from the line, by far their best effort of the series. The Hawks entered Game 5 shooting a meager 59-of-103 (.573).
Light day: After arriving from Indianapolis in the early morning hours Thursday, Drew chose not to practice later in the day.
Drew spoke with his team at Philips Arena and then dismissed them until a shootaround Friday in preparation for Game 6.
“Today was certainly a light day,” Drew said. “Watching the game film on the plane ride back I was thinking about what would be the best thing to do (Thursday). I know our guys are not just physically fatigued, but I think mentally fatigued as well. I thought today would be a day to let the guys get away, kind of regroup, kind of recharge just a little bit in coming home and getting ready for Game 6. I brought them in, spoke to them and I just really felt the best thing would be to let these guys get away from it, from us, from everybody.”
Game 6 set: Friday's Game 6 of the Hawks-Pacers series will start at 7 p.m. and air nationally on ESPN2. The game also will be broadcast by SportSouth.
If Game 7 is necessary, it will be played Sunday at either 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. on TNT or at 1 p.m. on ABC. If there is a Game 7, it will air locally on Fox Sports South or SportSouth only if on TNT. ABC would have the game exclusively.
Shortened bench: DeShawn Stevenson has played a total of one minute and one second in the past three games, including 16 seconds in Game 5. He played 45 seconds in Game 4 and did not play in Game 3.
Dahntay Jones, John Jenkins, Mike Scott and Shelvin Mack have played a total of nine minutes at the end of games 3 and 5.
