Indiana Pacers take down Atlanta Hawks behind depth and T.J. McConnell's passing

The Indiana Pacers took down the Atlanta Hawks for their third-straight win on Friday evening. The Pacers were comfortable all night — they led for the final 38:47 of the game.

For the blue and gold, balance was key again. They finished with eight players scoring in double figures, but no single player reached 20 points. Buddy Hield and Obi Toppin led Indiana with 18 each.

"We've got to play a balanced game. We've got to play with and for each other," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said earlier this week. The team's need for balance is more crucial now that star guard Tyrese Haliburton is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

T.J. McConnell finished with 14 assists for the blue and gold, a season-high number for the veteran guard. It's the fifth-best number of his entire Pacers tenure. He added six points, four rebounds, and three steals.

Hawks star Trae Young never really got going as he finished with 13 points on 4/17 shooting.

In the end, the final score was 126-108. It was Indiana's ninth win in their last 10 games and they improved to 23-15.

"It's a really good effort by our guys," Carlisle said after the game. His team has raised its defensive level over the last few weeks as they have gone on a streak of victories.

The Pacers got Jalen Smith back from injury in the win, and he finished with six points and seven rebounds. Indiana will look to keep up their winning ways when they travel to Denver to take on the Nuggets on Sunday.