The Washington Wizards needed this one badly. After dropping three straight, they found a way to grind out a 112-105 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night at Capital One Arena.
Fourth-Quarter Surge Seals the Deal
Down the stretch, the Wizards showed some real fight. Bub Carrington and Anthony Gill were the catalysts, each chipping in 13 points while leading a decisive 14-0 run in the fourth quarter that put this one away for good.
Carrington caught fire during the spurt, nailing a 17-footer and draining a three-pointer from the top of the arc. Gill bookended the run with authority—starting it off with a layup and capping it with a baseline three that pushed Washington’s lead to 110-97. That was all she wrote.
“We just locked in when it mattered most,” Carrington said after the game.
Balanced Scoring Lifts Washington
The Wizards got contributions from all over the roster. Kadary Richmond and Jaden Hardy also dropped 13 points apiece, while Bilal Coulibaly and Tristan Vukcevic added 12 each. It was a true team effort—the kind you need when you’re trying to snap a losing streak.
Washington’s 30 assists told the story of ball movement and unselfish play. They shot 43.9% from the field and held their own on the glass, pulling down 56 rebounds compared to Indiana’s 61.
Pacers Fight Back But Fall Short
Indiana didn’t go down without a battle. Jarace Walker put up a monster performance with 19 points and 13 rebounds, showcasing why the Pacers have been emphasizing his development all season. Taelon Peter added 16 points, while Jay Huff and Ben Sheppard each scored 15.
The Pacers clawed back from a 17-point deficit early in the third quarter, stringing together a 14-3 run that gave them a 92-91 lead early in the fourth. But they couldn’t sustain the momentum, and 23 turnovers proved costly.
Indiana also lost guards Kam Jones (back soreness) and Aaron Nesmith (ankle sprain) by halftime, which didn’t help their cause.
Young’s Debut Still on Hold
On a day when the Wizards announced that Trae Young remains at least a week away from his team debut, Washington showed they can win without their new star. The young core stepped up when it mattered, proving there’s some fight in this group.
What’s Next
These two teams run it back Friday night in Washington for the second game of their back-to-back series. The Wizards will look to build on this win, while the Pacers—now 2-3 on their season-long six-game road trip—will aim to regroup and even the series.
With both teams sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, every win matters. Thursday’s victory moved Washington to 15-39, while Indiana fell to 15-41.
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