The Indiana Pacers closed the game on a 15-point fourth-quarter scoring surge to beat the Washington Wizards 114-101 on Wednesday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Pascal Siakam scored 28 points on 12-of-12 free-throw shooting to lead Indiana, while Andrew Nembhard handed out 10 assists.
The Pacers outscored the Wizards 37-24 in the fourth quarter to pull away after trailing by as many as eight points earlier in the game. Kyshawn George led Washington with 25 points, and Anthony Davis added 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds in the loss.
Key Moments: How Indiana Pulled Away
Washington built an early cushion behind a 20-18 edge late in the first quarter, with Tre Johnson hitting a step-back three with 38.7 seconds left to put the Wizards up 25-24. The Pacers answered immediately when Jay Huff converted a reverse dunk off a Nembhard assist to tie it at 25 heading into the second.
The Wizards pushed their lead to 44-40 midway through the second quarter on an AJ Dybantsa alley-oop dunk assisted by Trae Young, part of a stretch in which Washington built its largest lead of the game at eight points. Indiana trailed by as many as eight points in the opening half before the Pacers’ defense and interior scoring tilted the game in the second half.
The decisive swing came in the fourth quarter, when Indiana outscored Washington 37-24 to turn a tight contest into a comfortable final margin. The Pacers finished plus-13 in the final period alone, a stretch built on efficient scoring and ball movement that produced 29 team assists on the night.
Top Performers From Both Teams
Siakam’s 28 points paced Indiana, and he did it efficiently, going 12-for-12 from the free-throw line to go with eight rebounds and five assists. Ivica Zubac added 20 points on 9-of-15 shooting with 12 rebounds, and Nembhard contributed 17 points to go with his 10 assists.
Kelly Oubre Jr. added 14 points and four steals off the Pacers’ attack, finishing plus-18 for the game, the best plus-minus mark on either roster.
For Washington, George’s 25 points came on 9-of-20 shooting with five made three-pointers. Davis finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Young chipped in 15 points and four assists. Trae Young scored 15 points and dished four assists for Washington.
What The Numbers Show
Indiana shot 47% from the field compared to Washington’s 41%, and the Pacers made 21 of 24 free throws for an 88% clip. The Wizards were credited with 15 turnovers, which led directly to 24 points off Pacers takeaways, while Indiana turned the ball over just 11 times.
The Pacers also dominated in the paint, outscoring Washington 60-44 on points in the paint, and Indiana’s bench and transition game produced 17 fast-break points compared to nine for the Wizards.
What It Means And What Comes Next
The win moved Indiana to 4-8 on the season, matching Washington’s record, though the Pacers hold a 1-0 edge in the season series after Wednesday’s result. Indiana sits fourth in the Central Standings, four games behind Detroit, while Washington remains fourth in the Southeast at 4-8 and has now dropped five straight games, according to the standings following Wednesday’s games.
Washington has lost five straight and sits fourth in the Southeast at 4-8. Indiana improved to 4-8 and holds first place over the Wizards in the season series at 1-0.
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