Zaza Pachulia set to play in Game 5 against the Orlando Magic
The Atlanta Hawks will regain their veteran centre Zaza Pachulia on Tuesday night when they take on the Orlando Magic for game-5 at the Amway Centre. Pachulia was
suspended without pay for one game, as he was found guilty for head butting and skirmishing with Orlando’s guard Jason Richardson.
Richardson also faced one game suspension without pay, on charge of fighting and shoving Pachulia in the face. NBA’s Executive Vice President Basketball Operations,
Stu Jackson announced their punishments, a day after the game.
Due to suspensions, both Pachulia and Richardson were not included in their teams on Sunday, when the Hawks defeated the Magic 88-85 in Game 4 of the 2011 NBA Playoffs.
The altercation between the two began in the fourth-quarter of Game 3 on Friday, when Dwight Howard hit Pachulia with his forearm while lunging to the rim. In reply
to that, a frustrated Zaza flung his elbow on the big centre. Although Howard appeared relatively calm, Richardson was not impressed and quickly leaped into the quarrel. Zaza was not in a mood to back off though and responded with a pair of head butts. Richardson
slapped Pachulia on the face in return, before Howard yanked him away.
Howard was however a little too late to pull Richardson away. After looking at replays, the officials ejected both players from the game. The very next day, the duo
found out that they have been suspended for one game without pay.
The Hawks were able to squeak past the Magic in that game. Now, when the Hawks meet the Magic on April 26, both players are going to be available for the game, after
serving their one game punishment and one thing is for sure that both will be looking to get even.
Zaza's return could be more substantial as the reserve player has been pretty effective in hounding the Magic throughout the series. Although the Hawks are just on
the cusp of making through to the Eastern Conference semi-finals, Zaza said that there are still three games left in the series and it is not the time to think highly of what his team have accomplished till date.
"We still have one more game to win," Pachulia said. "But it definitely will give us a great advantage to finish this series Tuesday. The last two years, we went
to 7 game series it was very hard. We didn't have any off time to get any rest. Going to second round tired and banged up is not a good idea."
After the punishment it’ll be interesting to see Pachulia’s approach, but one thing is sure his inclusion will definitely lift the Hawks defence, as they set sight
to secure the series.
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