Two struggling teams looking to end their losing streaks will face off on Sunday as the Indiana Pacers host the Washington Wizards.
After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2014, the Pacers find themselves in an early-season slump, having lost three consecutive games and five of their last six.
The road has not been kind to Indiana, with a 2-8 record away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Pacers begin a four-game homestand on Sunday, coming off an 0-3 road trip that concluded with a 129-117 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
Despite Pascal Siakam’s 25 points and Bennedict Mathurin’s 20, the Pacers couldn’t overcome Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-double of 37 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists for the Bucks, who never trailed.
Injury woes continue for Indiana, with Aaron Nesmith (ankle), Andrew Nembhard (knee), and Ben Sheppard (oblique) all sidelined. Siakam leads the Pacers with 20.8 points per game, followed by Mathurin at 18.9.
Meanwhile, the Wizards, expected to struggle this season, are in the midst of a 10-game losing streak. After a franchise-worst 15-67 record last season, they are trending toward the league’s basement once again.
The Wizards haven’t won since October 30, when they defeated the Atlanta Hawks 133-120 at home. In their most recent game, they put up a fight against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, ultimately falling 108-96 at home on Friday.
Washington led by two at halftime and was down by just four points with three minutes left. Jordan Poole led the team with 23 points, while Kyle Kuzma added 21.
Despite holding Boston to 42.4 percent shooting from the field and 23.9 percent from three-point range, the Wizards’ defense, which has allowed a league-high 123.5 points per game, showed some improvement.
Poole leads Washington with 21.2 points per game, while Kuzma contributes 17.4 points.
Both teams will be eager to end their losing streaks and gain some momentum in Sunday’s matchup.
