Pascal Siakam absolutely went off for 28 points, and Ivica Zubac dropped a monster 20 points and 12 rebounds, powering the Indiana Pacers to a 114-101 win over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night. This was a much-needed victory for the Pacers, who just snapped a two-game skid, while the Wizards are left reeling, now on a five-game losing streak.
Pacers Find Their Groove, Wizards Can’t Catch Up
Siakam was just dialed in, hitting 7 of 17 from the field and, get this, converting all 12 of his free throw attempts. That’s clutch from the line! Andrew Nembhard wasn’t slouching either, adding 17 points and dishing out 10 assists, showing that playmaking vision. And shoutout to Kelly Oubre Jr., who scored all 14 of his points in the first half, keeping the Pacers in the fight early on. The Pacers shot a solid 47% for the game, including 46% in the opening half, which really set the tone.
Meanwhile, the Wizards just couldn’t find their rhythm consistently. Kyshawn George led their scoring with 25 points, and Anthony Davis pulled down a double-double of his own with 21 points and 13 rebounds. Trae Young picked it up in the second half, scoring 12 of his 15 points then, and Tre Johnson chipped in 15 points off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Indiana’s offense. Washington finished shooting only 41% from the field, and a paltry 39% in the first half.
Fourth Quarter Collapse Sinks Wizards
This game was a wild one, with both teams making runs. The Wizards actually grabbed their largest lead, 41-33, midway through the second quarter. But the Pacers quickly responded, closing the half with a 22-9 burst to take a 55-50 lead into the locker room. Indiana then stretched that lead to 69-59 with 6:24 left in the third before Washington fought back with an 18-8 run to close that quarter.
But the real gut punch for the Wizards came right out of the gate in the fourth. The Pacers exploded with a 14-0 run to open the final period, pushing their lead to 91-77, and the Wizards just had no answer after that. You can’t let a team go on that kind of run in the fourth quarter and expect to win.
Haliburton’s Hamstring: The Latest
On the injury front, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle confirmed that Tyrese Haliburton’s left hamstring strain is progressing. He’s already missed eight consecutive games, which is a huge chunk of time without your star. Carlisle mentioned it’s “reasonable” to expect a status update in about 10 days. Fingers crossed for good news on that front, because a healthy Haliburton is a game-changer.
So what’s next? The Wizards have to shake off this losing streak fast, as they’re hosting Detroit on Thursday. The Pacers, riding high on snapping their own skid, are back home to host New York on Friday. Big tests for both teams coming right up!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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