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Pacers rout Hawks, take series lead

May 2, 2013 - 3:17 AM Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - The Indiana Pacers came back home and reasserted themselves in the paint.

Now they just need to figure out a way to do that in Atlanta.

David West had 24 points, while Paul George added 21 points and 10 rebounds in the Pacers' 106-83 rout of the Hawks in Game 5 of this Eastern Conference first-round series.

West went 11-of-16 from the field and George missed just one shot over eight tries. Roy Hibbert finished with 18 points and nine boards for the Pacers, who will try to wrap up the series in Atlanta Friday where they have dropped 13 straight dating back to 2006.

"I don't think it's just about how we're playing in that building versus this building," Indiana head coach Frank Vogel said. "I think there's been a series of moves in this series where you play a game and something works and something doesn't work You make an adjustment. Give (Hawks head coach) Larry Drew credit, he changed the series a little bit down there."

Once the series shifted south, Hawks head coach Larry Drew made the decision to start Johan Petro at center. That moved Al Horford to power forward and Josh Smith to the three-spot. Kyle Korver went to the bench and the big lineup worked.

In the two tilts at Philips Arena, the Pacers shot 27 percent and 38 percent, respectively, from the field.

Indiana, though, got back to playing its game on Wednesday. The Pacers shot 50.7 percent (35-of-69) from the floor, outrebounded Atlanta by a commanding 51-28 margin and won the points in the paint battle by a 36-28 spread.

Al Horford and Josh Smith netted 14 points apiece for Atlanta, which has dropped seven of its last eight in Indianapolis.

"With us losing our composure we totally got into a me, me, me state. We took a lot of ill-advised shots. One thing compounded the other," Drew said.

The Hawks led 22-21 after a quarter of play, but Indiana began to seize control of the contest in the second.

Smith split a pair of free throws to give Atlanta a 31-28 advantage, but West went on a personal 8-0 tear to put Indiana ahead. He began the flurry with a pair of layups before knocking down back-to-back jumpers for a 36-31 Pacers edge a little past the midway point of the frame.

West was 6-of-7 for 12 points in the stanza as the hosts took a 50-43 cushion into the break.

An 11-2 Pacers run during the middle stages of the third put them comfortably in front. George Hill, who capped the swing with a jumper, had six points, while George added the other five during the surge, which propelled Indy to a 68-48 advantage.

The Pacers held an 81-67 lead after three and the margin peaked at 27 in the final stanza.

Game Notes

All five games in the set have been decided by double figures ... Since moving to Atlanta in 1968, the Hawks are 21-85 in postseason road games ... Hill had 15 points and 10 assists ... Devin Harris tallied 13 points for Atlanta ... The Hawks shot 33.3 percent (25-of-75) from the field.