INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are now on a four game winning streak after barely getting out of Bankers Life Fieldhouse alive on Monday night with a 109-101 win over the Washington Wizards. They were blasting these boyz in the third quarter going up as much as 25 points before the wheels started to come off. They were able to keep them on long enough to pull it over with out injury.
The Pacers came out of the gate and went on a 7-0 run to start the game as the Wizards looked discombobulated trying to find their rhythm. They quickly settled down and got right back into it going on a 7-0 run to knot it up. However, the Pacers returned the favor going back on a 7-0 run. I literally got dizzy until they both teams settled down. Spurts to start the game is always fun.
Both squads were shooting the lights out of the gym during the first quarter with the Wizards shooting 56 percent from the field and 83 percent from three-point range. As the Pacers were firing it up at 57 percent from the field and 50 percent from three at the end of the first quarter. That’s NUTS!!! The Wizards were up 33-29 despite the shooting 100 percent (5-5) from the foul line as the Pacers were shooting 50 percent (4-8) from the charity stripe.
The rookie, Aaron Holiday, came off of the bench shortly after the start the second quarter and knocked down 5 quick points to get into a smooth flow. The Pacers controlled the period with great defense at the rim as Myles Turner recorded 5 of his — blocks in the first half alone. At the break the Blue and Gold were up 59-50.
Indiana moved the ball extremely well with 17 assists in the first half. Nate McMillan’s goal for his team is to have 25 for the game and they were well on their way after to two quarters.
The continued to do work on the offensive end as they 17-6 run to go up 18 points with 6:26 left in the third quarter. It got ugly real quick on a boy. At that point the flood gates opened and Washington found itself drinking from the fire hydrant bruh! They were down 25 points at the blink of an eye with Big Momma passing out peppermints like it was Sunday morning in church.
The rim was like shooting into the ocean for Indiana through three quarters as they shot 57 precent from the field and 56 percent from behind the arc. Nate’s crew had 23 assists at the end of three only two shy of their nightly goal.
And just like that a 25 point lead diminished to a 6 point lead for the Pacers with just under 10 minutes to play. The bottom started to fall out as the water began to fill up in the boat. Indiana couldn’t buy a bucket for several minutes and turnovers went crazy.
With 5:34 left to play it was a 5 point game with Indiana up 98-93!!!! Wheredeydodartat? They were up 25 points!!!! With 3:19 left it was a 3 point game with the Pacer only up 101-99.
Finally after the smoke cleared the Pacers were able to walk out of the joint with a 109-101 win. However, they committed 23 turnovers with 10 in the fourth quarter.
Myles Turner led the Blue and Gold with 26 points and 12 rebounds followed by Bojan Bogdanovic’s 22. Tierce Evans dropped off a solid 18 as Domantas Sabonis hit them up for a cool 11. Darren Collison contributed with 10 points,17 assists (career high) and 7 rebounds. They were lucky to get out of there with a win. Up next Milwaukee on Wednesday.