Opportunity knocked with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left in the third quarter. The Pacers had shaved an Atlanta lead that was 14 points early in the period to two points, forcing a Hawks timeout.
It didn't seem like an appropriate time to go with a rookie point guard who had played just 16 minutes all season, and not at all in the previous nine games. Never mind that he's a first-round draft pick with bloodlines, the kid hadn't proven himself in the fire of an undetermined NBA game, and this game was far from being settled.
Nate McMillan, whose instincts for late-game substitutions are uncanny, gave Aaron Holiday his first meaningful opportunity at that moment, and was richly rewarded.