Game Preview
The Indiana Pacers (6-10) will look to snap a three-game skid as they host the struggling Washington Wizards (2-12) on Sunday night. While the Pacers have struggled to find consistency, they've shown flashes of strong play, averaging nearly 115 points per game on a respectable 48.8% shooting from the field. However, their defensive lapses have been glaring, surrendering 119 points per contest.
Over their last 10 games, the Pacers have hovered around a 40% win rate, splitting the stretch 4-6. Their offense has remained potent, scoring 113.6 points a night on 48.7% shooting, but their defensive intensity has wavered, allowing 117.9 points against. On the glass, they've grabbed just under 40 rebounds per game, with a shade over 26 assists highlighting their balanced attack.
The recent five-game stretch has been particularly unkind, with the Pacers dropping four of five contests. While their scoring output has ticked up to 115.8 points, their defensive struggles have intensified, surrendering a concerning 124.6 points per game. On a positive note, their rebounding and assist numbers have remained steady, grabbing nearly 40 boards and dishing out 27.2 assists nightly.
As for the Wizards, their season has been a tale of woe, limping to a dismal 2-12 record while mired in a 10-game losing skid. Offensive production has been a major issue, averaging just 108.9 points on 44.5% shooting from the field. Their three-point shooting has been particularly anemic at 32.7%, unable to stretch defenses. Defensively, they've struggled mightily, allowing a whopping 123.5 points per contest.
The past 10 games have been an abysmal stretch for Washington, failing to register a single victory while averaging a paltry 105.3 points offensively. Their shooting percentages have plummeted to 44.3% from the field and a frigid 31.3% from beyond the arc. On the bright side, their rebounding has remained solid at 42.4 boards per game, but their 23.8 assists indicate an isolation-heavy offensive approach.
While the Pacers have hit a rough patch recently, the Wizards' prolonged offensive drought and defensive woes present an opportunity for Indiana to get back on track at home. If the Pacers can rediscover their defensive intensity and maintain their balanced scoring attack, they should have the edge against the reeling Wizards squad.