Paul George and Lance Stephenson are in a dogfight with the Hawks. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Indiana Pacers were in a fighting mood the day before the 2014 NBA playoffs started. Unfortunately, they were fighting themselves.

Lance Stephenson and Evan Turner got into a scuffle during practice, according to Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski, and had to separated by teammates David West and Luis Scola. Turner walked away from practice with a cut.

The fistfight is symbolic of how the last three months have gone for the Pacers.

They have gone from being title contenders to punchlines on social media, and the hits just keeps on coming. The Pacers, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, are in a dogfight with the eighth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who finished with a sub-.500 record during the regular season.

On paper, this first-round series should be an easy one to predict. The big, bad Pacers against the undersized Hawks. But somehow, the paper got wet as the Hawks are looking like the contenders and the Pacers are acting like a bunch of pretenders.

Pacers All-Star Paul George summed it up best after his team lost Game 3 to fall behind 2-1 in the series. He said, “Our toughness is questionable right now.”

That’s a bold statement coming from the team’s best player.

Toughness was supposed to be the Pacers’ calling card. It was the foundation of their vaunted defense. George and Co. had the second-best defense in the NBA this past season, and they have a roster loaded with Ruff Ryders.

But sometimes having physical toughness doesn’t mean anything if you don’t have mental toughness. That’s where the problem lies with the Pacers. Between the ears.

Confidence is a fragile thing, and it’s hard to get it back once you lose it.

Right now, the Pacers have lost their swagger. Instead of walking around with their heads held high, they’re looking around for excuses when things go wrong. And the guy on their team that has lost his mojo is 7-2 center Roy Hibbert.

When Indiana coach Frank Vogel was asked if Hibbert will start Game 4 against the Hawks, Vogel said: “We’ll see.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

“He’s our anchor,” Vogel said. “We won 56 games with him as a starter. We’ll see. Probably.”

You can understand Vogel’s hesitation when the subject of benching his “anchor” came up. It’s a tough call. Benching Hibbert could have a domino effect. He could lose Hibbert mentally for the rest of the playoffs. He could alienate the rest of the team. He could also save the Pacers from elimination.

The Hawks and their perimeter-oriented offense is a bad matchup for Hibbert. His forte is protecting the rim, but if the Hawks are staying away from the rim then there’s no need to have rim protector. Hibbert looks like a fish out of water guarding Hawks center Pero Antic, who prefers to drift outside the 3-point line. It’s a terrible matchup for him.

One solution is to start Hibbert but pull him after 3-4 minutes, and insert Luis Scola at center to team up with West. Scola has been much more effective than Hibbert in the Hawks series and arguably the Pacers’ second-best player at the moment.

But Hibbert is just one part of the multiple issues the Pacers need to address.

The starters look gassed and Vogel may need to reach out to his bench to stay afloat.

Indiana also has too many ball-stoppers on the floor and not enough shooters. Spreading the floor could open up lanes for George to drive and kick.

But mainly, the Pacers need to address their locker room. They are a fractured group. They have two guys in Stephenson and Turner looking for the their next contracts. That’s likely why they were fighting. They’re both after the same thing and they will go through each other to get it.

Money is the root of all evil.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough is fouled hard by Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem in the first half of Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Dwyane Wade sat in the media room wearing a Band-Aid over his right eye, looking like he went 12 rounds with Manny Pacquiao. Danny Granger left the arena in a walking boot, while Lance Stephenson may have injured his collarbone and David West is nursing a sprained knee.

Things got so heated between Miami and Indiana Tuesday the playoff contest turned into an old-fashioned basketbrawl, a battle royale reminiscent of the days when hard fouls were the norm and the action was more suited for the Octagon. The league office handed down the punishments on Wednesday, suspending Heat forward Udonis Haslem for one game, reserve center Dexter Pittman for three games, and Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough’s hard foul was upgraded to a flagrant 2.

Hansbrough ignited the fireworks in the second quarter with a hard foul on Wade, cutting the Heat star above the eye. Haslem returned the favor by whacking Hansbrough across the face. Both men were assessed a flagrant 1 foul. Wade said the Haslem foul doesn’t deserve a suspension, but he believed Hansbrough — also known as Psycho T — went a little too far with his tomahawk chop to the face.

“I took a shot that I thought was uncalled for. My face is not the ball so he didn’t make a play on the ball,” said Wade.

Hansbrough and Haslem were not the only ones who delivered blows in Game 5. Pittman leveled Stephenson with a WWE-type clothesline that would have made Charles Oakley proud. Stephenson immediately grabbed his shoulder and may have sustained a collarbone injury. It was an obvious retaliation to Stephenson’s choke sign aimed at LeBron James in Game 3 in Indiana.

“The Dexter Pittman play is as dirty as it gets. That should be a four to five games (suspension),” ESPN analyst Tim Legler said.

TV replays showed Pittman launching himself into Stephenson, and was later caught on the monitor winking at someone, giving the impression that he was targeting Stephenson and his elbow wasn’t accidental. The great Pat Riley once said that there is never such a thing as a accidental elbow. Pittman and Haslem delivered a powerful message to the Pacers that you don’t mess with any of the Heat superstars.

“You want to have great competitive games. You’re not giving up layups but you don’t want to hurt nobody,” Wade said. “It takes away from the game. I told my teammates that [Hansbrough] foul was over with so let’s focus on the game.”

West also left Game 5 early with a knee sprain, an injury he believes he sustained due to the physical play. “Guys just dove into my knee. Part of the game, I guess. But I can take care of myself. I don’t need the referees to do that. That will be dealt with,” West said. “It was just one of those things. It’s been a tough series, a very physical series.”

When someone asked West if one of the Heat players went after his knee on purpose he replied with a very cryptic message: “It’s part of the game. Again, I’ll take care of it. I can handle myself.”

The series has been extemely chippy from the start, with pockets of confrontations between West and Mario Chalmers and LeBron James and Granger. Now Hansbrough, Haslem and Pittman have cranked up the physical play as both sides are trying to apply the knockout punch.

Granger and James have been knocking each other around all series long, and Granger has gotten in LeBron’s face a couple of times. But one he literally tugged on Superman’s cape when he pulled LeBron’s jersey at halfcourt to prevent a fastbreak. LeBron didn’t appreciate the tug and threw his left elbow up to send a message, which caused Granger to flip.

Granger sprained his left ankle in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game in Miami when he stepped on LeBron’s foot while shooting a three, so his availability is now in question. He tried to give it a go in the second half but had to leave in the third quarter, which was when the Heat blew the game wide open.

Pacers president Larry Bird called his team “soft” after Game 5, but it’s a bit hard to digest that harsh criticism especially when you have three guys in the training room with major injuries. And don’t tell Wade and Haslem the Pacers are playing soft because their faces have taken a pounding.

Lance Stephenson played well for the Indiana Pacers in the Orlando Summer League.

Occasionally, NBA general managers and professional scouts get it wrong and allow a first-round talent to slip into the second round. Monta Ellis, Manu Ginobili, Carlos Boozer, Dennis Rodman, Michael Redd and Gilbert Arenas were all taken in the second round the year they were drafted into the Association and they’ve all had decent pro careers.

OneManFastBreak.net Publisher and Editor Joel Huerto examines the five best second-round picks from the 2010 NBA Draft:

— Derrick Caracter, forward (6-8, 260), L.A. Lakers (58th pick): Caracter has been more impressive than Devin Ebanks, who was taken 15 spots before him. Caracter averaged 15.4 points on 59.2% shooting and 8.6 rebounds in five summer league games. The Lakers have been impressed with the way the forward from UTEP has handled himself in ballgames and during practices. When matched up against DeMarcus Cousins (No. 5 overall pick, Kings), Caracter held his own and played hard every minute he was on the court. Caracter is very smart and doesn’t mind physical contact. He’s comfortable scoring around the basket and has a nice short jump hook to go with his face-up game. The Lakers run a very complex triangle offense, so you have to possess a high basketball IQ to wear the purple and gold. Caracter fits that mold and it would be a stunner if he’s not on their opening day roster. (Caracter video courtesy of NBA.com)

— Hassan Whiteside, center (6-11, 225), Sacramento Kings (33rd pick): All the pre-draft reports said that Whiteside was a project and needed to get physically stronger if he’s going to make an impact in the NBA. But, while playing on the Kings’ summer league team in Las Vegas – a team that boasted Omri Casspi and DeMarcus Cousins – Whiteside was able to hold his own and wasn’t overmatched against bigger and stronger competition. Sure, he needs to add a few more pounds to his frame, but you could see why Kings general manager Geoff Petrie liked him so much on draft night. He’s long and he could potentially be an excellent shot-blocker.

— Lance Stephenson, guard (6-5, 200), Indiana Pacers (40th pick): Played point guard for the Pacers in the Orlando Summer League and displayed very good ball-handling skills and a nice burst to the basket. At times he still dribbled too much and stalled the offense, but when he kept the ball moving he was able to find open teammates for easy baskets. Stephenson was a highly regarded prospect coming out of Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, N.Y., the same school that produced Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair. But his stock went down after a subpar season at the University of Cincinnati. Some scouts went as far as saying he may have peaked in high school. Stephenson redeemed himself with strong workouts at the pre-draft combine, and he could inject some much-needed attitude and flair to an otherwise very bland Pacers franchise.

— Gani Lawal, forward (6-9, 229), Phoenix Suns (46th pick): Georgia Tech Derrick Favors garnered much of the attention leading up to the draft and on draft night, but Lawal is the one who has adjusted to the NBA pace better than Favors. Lawal brings a physical presence for a Suns team that just lost All-Star forward/center Amare Stoudemire to the New York Knicks. Although Lawal will never be a 20-point scorer in the NBA, he can add a lot of toughness to an otherwise soft frontcourt in Phoenix.

— Luke Harangody, forward (6-7, 240), Boston Celtics (52nd pick): Showed a very dependable 3-point shot during the Orlando Summer League. He’s a shorter version of Brian Scalabrine, but a much better rebounder. Harangody is kind of a tweener, too slow to play small forward and too short to be a full-time power forward. But what he lacks in size and quickness, Harangody makes up for it with his hustle and skill. At 240 pounds, Harangody adds plenty of beef to an already beefy frontcourt in Boston with Kendrick Perkins and Glen “Big Baby” Davis.

DeMarcus Cousins of Mobile, Ala., lists Memphis as his top college choice.

The 2009 McDonald’s All-American boys basketball were recently named and of the 24 names in the West and East rosters, two stood out because of what it said under the last column – undecided.

Lance Stephenson of Lincoln High School from Brooklyn, N.Y., and DeMarcus Cousins of LeFlore High School from Mobile, Ala., have yet to sign with a college team next season, and all three have a boat-load of teams they are considering.

Cousins, a 6-11 versatile center who could potentially turn out to be the best player of this year’s high school class, has mentioned Memphis, Kentucky, Kansas State and Washington as his top three, but Memphis is the front-runner. Stephenson has about six or seven schools aching to land the best prep prospect to come out of New York City since Sebastian Telfair.

The complete rosters for the McDonald’s All-American Game in Miami:

EAST TEAM

13 Kenny Boynton, Jr. G 6-3 190 American Heritage School, FL (Pompano Beach, FL) Florida

32 Dominic Cheek G 6-6 185 St. Anthony High School, NJ (Jersey City, NJ) Villanova

15 DeMarcus Cousins C 6-11 265 LeFlore Magnet High School, AL (Mobile, AL) Undecided

34 Derrick Favors F 6-9 235 South Atlanta High School, GA (Atlanta, GA) Georgia Tech

24 Milton Jennings F 6-9 215 Pinewood Preparatory School, SC (Cottageville, SC) Clemson

4 Ryan Kelly F 6-10 217 Ravenscroft School, NC (Raleigh, NC) Duke

33 Alex Oriakhi C 6-9 240 Tilton School, NH (Lowell, MA) Connecticut

30 Peyton Siva G 6-0 175 Franklin High School, WA (Seattle, WA) Louisville

1 Lance Stephenson F 6-6 220 Abraham Lincoln High School, NY (Brooklyn, NY) Undecided

7 Dexter Strickland G 6-3 180 St. Patrick High School, NJ (Rahway, NJ) North Carolina

11 Dante Taylor F 6-9 230 National Christian Academy, MD (West Chester, NY) Pittsburgh

2 Maalik Wayns G 6-1 185 Roman Catholic High School, PA (Philadelphia, PA) Villanova

WEST TEAM

1 Avery Bradley, Jr. G 6-3 180 Findlay College Prep, NV (Puyallup, WA) Texas

3 Abdul Gaddy, Jr. G 6-3 183 Bellarmine Preparatory School, WA (Tacoma, WA) Washington

31 Keith Gallon C 6-9 293 Oak Hill Academy, VA (Huffman, TX) Oklahoma

13 Xavier Henry G 6-6 225 Putnam City High School, OK (Oklahoma City, OK) Memphis

22 John Henson F 6-10 200 Sickles High School, FL (Odessa, FL) North Carolina

33 Wally Judge F 6-9 230 Arlington Country Day School, FL (Landover, MD) Kansas State

5 Tommy Mason-Griffin G 5-11 192 James Madison High School, TX (Houston, TX) Oklahoma

32 Mason Plumlee F 6-11 220 Christ School, NC (Winona Lake, IN) Duke

1 Renardo Sidney, Jr. C 6-10 250 Fairfax High School, CA (Los Angeles, CA) USC

21 Michael Snaer G 6-5 200 Rancho Verde High School, CA (Moreno Valley, CA) Florida State

12 David Wear F 6-10 225 Mater Dei High School, CA (Huntington Beach, CA) North Carolina

24 Travis Wear F 6-10 230 Mater Dei High School, CA (Huntington Beach, CA) North Carolina