As the Indiana Pacers prepare for their final game before the All-Star break, they head to Washington, D.C. to face the struggling Wizards on Wednesday. The Pacers, who have lost three of their last four games, are eager to build momentum before the weeklong break.
In their most recent outing, Indiana fell to the New York Knicks 128-115, struggling with their 3-point shooting at just 29 percent (9-for-31). Coach Rick Carlisle is particularly focused on improving their defense, as the Knicks managed to shoot 53.8 percent from the floor.
A consistent bright spot for the Pacers this season has been All-Star Pascal Siakam. Despite the loss, Siakam scored 24 points and is averaging 20.8 points per game this season. He has been particularly impressive lately, surpassing the 20-point mark in seven of the last eight games. Siakam also leads the team in rebounds with an average of 7.4 per game, while Tyrese Haliburton contributes 17.8 points and 8.5 assists per game.
On the other side, the Washington Wizards have been struggling mightily, losing their last three games after a brief three-game winning streak. With the worst record in the NBA, the Wizards are on track for the highest odds of securing the first overall pick in the NBA draft.
Despite their poor performance, the Wizards have shown some offensive potential, averaging 117.3 points per game in February. This trend continued in their recent 131-121 home loss to the San Antonio Spurs, where they managed to claw back from an 18-point deficit before succumbing to their 44th defeat of the season.
Jordan Poole, despite a tough game where he connected on just 4 of 18 shot attempts, leads the Wizards with an average of 20.7 points per game. Following the trade of their second-leading scorer, Kyle Kuzma, to the Milwaukee Bucks, Washington will rely more heavily on Malcolm Brogdon (12.7 points per game) and Bilal Coulibaly (12.6 points per game) to fill the scoring void.
