INDIANAPOLIS — After winning 7 in a row the dropping two in a row the Pacers are back to their winning ways. They blasted the Washington Wizards 105- 89 on Sunday night at home after taking care of business in Brooklyn on Friday night. Myles Turner led the Pacers with a solid double-double finishing with 18 points and 17 rebounds.
It must be Christmas and the eggnog was flowing because neither team could hit an elephant in the butt with a base fiddle getting out of the car. At the 4 minute mark of the first quarter they both were shooting just 36 percent from the field. I completely understood why the Wizards couldn’t shoot. They went to three overtimes on Saturday night against the Phoenix Suns but what was wrong with the Pacers getting started?
Indiana finally found the basket with a few transition buckets and Myles Turner knocked down a three pointer to get the Pacers going. Domantas Sabonis and Corey Joseph picked up consecutive baskets in transition to settle Indiana down. However, Washington calmed down as well and started to find the basket as they both traded scores to end the opening quarter with Indiana up 27-25.
The Pacers started the second quarter on an 8-3 run as Thaddeus Young throws a put back dunk down so hard that he darn near put a hole in the floor with the ball. Washington turns it over on the very next possession and he gets the transition dunk. Those dunks woke up not only the crowd but the Pacers. By the time I bit into my pretzel good they were up 46-34 with 5:29 left in the half.
At the break Indiana was up 53-46 and as a matter of fact, Washington was lucky to be that close after turning the rock over 13 times in the first half. They finished the night with 22 turnovers.
Indiana came out of the break and went on a 7-3 run to set the tone for the rest of the game. By the 4:30 minute mark of the third quarter they were up 14 points and gaining momentum. Those three overtimes seemed to jump on the Wizards backs midway through the third quarter as the Pacers pulled away. They were spent as roof shot off of the joint and the Pacers ended the quarter up 84-64 looking for Big Momma’s Christmas cooking!!!
The final quarter was more of the same foolishness. The Pacers finished with seven players in double figures led by Myles’ 18. Domantas Sabonis had 15 as Bojan Bogdanovic dropped off 14. Victor Oladipo, Darren Collison and Corey Joseph all had 12 and Thaddeus Young came through with 10. Up next Atlanta in the ATL on Wednesday.