The Washington Wizards (34-38) finished off the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament on Thursday with a 142-115 win over the Indiana Pacers (34-38) as the team clinched the No. 8 seed in the playoffs.
This matchup featured two of the top 5 teams in terms of pace as after the first three minutes of the game both teams began trading baskets and playing at a much quicker pace.
For the Pacers, Doug McDermott and Malcolm Brogdon only continued their impressive play early on combining for 20 first-quarter points before quickly declining heading into the second quarter. Indiana’s defense looked unorganized on the other end of the court giving up 66 first-half points and allowing the Wizards to shoot 56 percent from the field. The game was tied at 38 in the second quarter before the Wizards went on a 16-0 run and began dominating the Pacers in the paint.
Former MVP, Russell Westbrook, proved why he’s still one of the best lead guards in the NBA after an underwhelming 33 percent (6-18, 0-4 3Pt, 8-8 FT) shooting performance against the Celtics on Tuesday.
Westbrook seemingly got anywhere he wanted on the floor against the Pacers as he forced his way into the paint, drew fouls, and distributed the ball to his teammates in transition. With Wizards fans chanting “MVP,” Westbrook was on an early triple-double watch midway through the second quarter but ultimately ended the game with 18 points, 15 assists, and 8 rebounds.
Bradley Beal entered the game with a lingering hamstring injury that he’s been playing through which gave him trouble throughout the first half. Beal was seen talking to the Wizards’ trainer in the second quarter but picked up his play by scoring 16 points in the third quarter and finishing with 25.
The lack of depth played a major role in Indiana’s loss with Caris LeVert, Jeremy Lamb, and Myles Turner all listed as out with injuries heading into the game. The Pacers’ streaky shooting from last game dried out quickly as the team found themselves in a 20-plus point hole.
The Wizards will face Joel Embiid and the No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs beginning on Sunday.
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