Pacers End Skid With 115-103 Victory Over Wizards
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The Indiana Pacers snapped a three-game losing streak with a 115-103 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday, extending Washington’s losing streak to 11 games. Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 22 points, while Tyrese Haliburton contributed 21 points and nine assists in a strong team effort. Bennedict Mathurin added 16 points, Moses Brown scored 15, and T.J. McConnell chipped in 12 points, helping Indiana secure the win.
Wizards’ Continued Struggles
The Wizards, now at the bottom of the NBA standings with a 2-13 record, had a promising performance from their rookies. Alexandre Sarr scored 17 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds, while Bilal Coulibaly also finished with 17 points. Despite the strong individual performances, Washington couldn’t close the gap, especially in the final moments of the game. The Wizards have now lost 11 straight games, and they continue to struggle with consistency on both ends of the floor. While the team stayed competitive for much of the game, they couldn’t capitalize in the closing minutes.
Pacers’ Defensive Improvement
After allowing an average of 129.6 points per game over their previous three contests, the Pacers showed signs of improvement defensively. Indiana allowed just 16 points in the fourth quarter, which was crucial in securing the win. This late-game defensive effort helped them close out the Wizards, and it was a positive step forward for the Pacers, who have struggled on that side of the ball in recent games. Now 5-3 at home, the Pacers will need to improve their road record (2-8) if they hope to be more competitive throughout the season.
Key Moments and Future Outlook
Moses Brown, who was signed just last week, played a key role early in the game, scoring 11 of his 15 points in the first quarter. His strong performance helped the Pacers build an early lead. With the game tight in the fourth quarter, Indiana went on a 7-2 run over about four minutes to build a 105-98 lead with 4:53 remaining. Washington missed six consecutive shots during that stretch, and they were unable to recover.
Looking ahead, the Pacers will host the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night, aiming to build on this win. Meanwhile, the Wizards will play the Chicago Bulls at home on Tuesday, hoping to break their losing streak and regain some momentum.
