The NBA 2014 Playoffs have become the most exciting in recent memory. The close games, drama and unexpected twists and turns made the first round a wild rise. Unfortunately, someone has to end up on the losing end and it seems like it's the Indiana Pacers.

This is a heralded season for them and they were expecting to win it all. But their expectations came crashing down after a slump. They recovered and fought hard to get the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Anticipating a rematch with the defending champions, they wanted to have homecourt advantage.

Perhaps they should have focused on the task at hand. The Pacers are now down 2-3 to the lowly Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks, playing almost the entire season without their best player Al Horford, can become just the fourth eighth seed to knock off a number one seed when the series shifts to Atlanta.

Who's to blame for this atrocity? It's not very difficult, just like addressing the elephant in the room.

ESPN recently named center Roy Hibbert as the biggest disappointment of the season: "After being considered a leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year for much of the season, Hibbert has been a liability during the Pacers' series against the Hawks. He has only nine rebounds in his past 68 minutes played and Indiana is floundering along with him as it's tied 2-2 against a Hawks team that couldn't even manage to play .500 ball during the regular season."

But it would not be fair to just point out who's to blame. Atlanta should be given proper credit. Yahoo chimes in on the unsung heroes that have been ignored most of the season: "Reserve young forward Mike Scott came out of nowhere in the first half to remind the NBA that he is more than capable as a three-point shooter, nailing 5-5 three-point attempts in the first half alone and finishing with 17 points. Jeff Teague remains un-guardable unless either Paul George is forced to cover him (and even that's a stretch), or the Hawk offense goes elsewhere. DeMarre Carroll hit timely perimeter shots, making George work, and veterans Millsap (18 points, sound work down the stretch) and Kyle Korver (5-10 from long range, including one dagger from 30 feet away after the Pacers had cut it down to an 11-point deficit) were offensive killers.

Meanwhile, reserve point guard Shelvin Mack - a Butler product - led his previously unheralded Hawks team with 20 points off the bench, killing the vaunted Pacers D with an array of drives and perimeter flourishes."

Indiana is on the brink of elimination. Meanwhile, their rivals from Miami are the first to reach the next level behind an easy sweep of the Charlotte Bobcats. If the Pacers are eliminated, they will be dismissed as unworthy rivals.