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Hill's Unconscious Shooting Could Pay Off

When he stops to think about it, Solomon Hill knows why he's shooting so much better from behind the 3-point line lately.

He stopped thinking about it.

Hill has been on an unlikely tear in the postseason for the Pacers, becoming a weapon the Raptors couldn't have prepared for and his teammates couldn't have expected, and providing a bonus contribution that has helped the seventh-seeded Pacers force a Game 7 in Toronto on Sunday. His playing time (27.3 minutes per game) and scoring average (8.3) have roughly doubled from the regular season, and his 3-point shooting has been barely shy of stunning. He's hit 11-of-18 attempts, while hitting just 1-of-8 two-point shots.

His two 3-pointers late in the first quarter of Friday's Game 6 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse were crucial, knocking the Pacers' deficit from 12 points to two heading into the second quarter, while his three-pointer with five minutes left in the fourth period amounted to piling on, providing a 21-point lead. And, of course, his 3-pointer at the end of Game 5 in Toronto nearly forced overtime, but came a tenth of a second too late to count.

Hill's always been regarded as a solid defender and mature presence, but timely and deadly 3-point shooting was the last thing anyone expected from him. He hit 33 percent of his attempts last season, when he played all 82 games, and 32 percent during the regular season.

It's not a matter of what got into him. It's what he got rid of.

"I used to think about what happens if I miss, my percentages," he said. "I would think, I've got to make a three, I've got to stretch the floor."

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His lack of success, though, messed with his head, not to mention his game. He distinctly recalls a moment against the Lakers last season, when Kobe Bryant dropped completely off him in the corner and double-teamed Roy Hibbert, daring him to shoot a 3-pointer. That lack of confidence led him to break from the offense occasionally, leaving the corner and attempting to get open on a backdoor cut.

No longer.

"I put in enough work where I believe in it now," he said. "I'm waiting for it. I'm hunting the shot. My mentality has changed. It changes my game if I can do that. Now I can get driving lanes and can dish and make passes to everybody else."

Hill's 3-point success isn't as sudden as it might appear. His shooting in garbage time minutes dragged down his percentage. After the last game in which he didn't play, the home game against the Lakers on Feb. 8, he hit 41 percent of his attempts over the final 30 games. He hit 7-of-11 attempts in the final regular season game at Milwaukee, when most of the starters rested and he played more than 32 minutes.

Nobody was predicting this in October. Or, for that matter, last July.

Hill participated in Summer League play last year, a good-faith gesture on his part. Two-year veterans, particularly those who started 78 games the previous season, don't usually bother with Summer League action. It didn't work out well for him, as he hit just 4-of-22 field goal attempts and missed all five 3-point shots in the three games in which he played.

He didn't stand out in the three preseason games he played, either, averaging 5.3 points on 40 percent shooting – 25 percent from behind the 3-point line. Two newly acquired wings, Chase Budinger and Glenn Robinson III, had moved ahead of him in the rotation, and appeared to be more well-rounded players. Robinson was the team's second-leading scorer in the preseason, averaging in double figures, and Budinger – a trade acquisition – had stood out in intrasquad scimmages in September, according to teammates.

Pacers head coach Frank Vogel, with the support of the front office, wanted to see what he had in those two, so Hill sat and watched. As the season evolved, however, Robinson and Budinger failed to take advantage of their opportunities and Hill emerged as the obvious choice as the primary backup wing. Now, Budinger has been waived, Robinson is out of the rotation and Hill is as important as any of the Pacers other than Paul George.

"Solo's a tough guy," Ian Mahinmi said. "Solo shows a lot of character. He's a winner, a guy who's willing to do anything for the team. He's one of those guys you like to have in your corner. I'm proud of him. He stayed the course through the season, a lot of ups and downs. It's good to see him playing the way he plays."

Nobody seemed to question the decision not to extend Hill's rookie contract before the Oct. 31 deadline, given his Summer League and pre-season play. But now, after staging one of the more remarkable personal comebacks in franchise history, he figures to benefit from that decision as a free agent this summer. Whatever contract he signs is almost certain to pay more next season than the $2.3 million he would have received from an extension, based on the league's wage scale.

It's possible the Pacers won't be able to match another team's offer, but Hill says factors beyond money will weigh on his decision. David West took less money to leave the Pacers last summer, and Hill leaves open the possibility of taking less to stay.

In other words, while he'll be flying "solo," he won't necessarily take off.

"I look at it like the D West situation," he said Saturday. "Money isn't always important to people. Indiana drafted me. Playing with Paul (George) … there's not too many guys like Paul. There's not too many guys like Monta (Ellis). I had a chance to come in here and learn from D West – a lot. Made some good friends. I love Indianapolis. It's a tough situation."

Hill's college teammate at Arizona, Derrick Williams, also provides inspiration for looking beyond money. Williams, the second overall pick in the 2011 draft, has yet to experience the playoffs with Minnesota, Sacramento and New York. Hill, drafted 23rd in 2013, has been on playoff teams two of his three seasons, although he played for just one minute in the postseason two years ago.

"You can get money and go to a team and never see the playoffs again," he said. "This is like college. If college was endless, would you stay with a school where you could get 50 (points a game) and never make the tournament? I definitely want to be in a situation where I can play with guys I love playing with, coaches that I love being coached by. It's definitely going to be something I think about.

"Nothing against Philly and their rebuilding process, but I'd rather be here than Philly. Easily. I enjoy playing the game of basketball and I enjoy competing and trying to get to the highest level."

The playoffs are supposed to be the most challenging level of basketball, but Solomon Hill's performance against Toronto has far exceeded that of the regular season, preseason and even Summer League play.

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