Matchup
In a critical game for playoff implications, the Pacers pulled out a gutsy road win in Milwaukee, hanging on throughout the fourth quarter to secure the victory.
On Sunday, the Pacers face another opponent that's neck-and-neck in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the Washington Wizards.
In order to win the head-to-head tiebreaker, the Pacers (35-27) will need to win both of their remaining road games against the Wizards (36-27), a tall order against a Washington team that was played well in John Wall's absence.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Pacers' Playoff Push »
During their 103-96 win over the Bucks, Indiana rediscovered its defensive grit, holding Milwaukee to just 38 percent shooting on the night and pressuring the Bucks into 14 turnovers.
"We have gotten back to playing Pacers basketball," said Cory Joseph after the win. "It was a grind-it-out game and we were putting on the pressure as a team. We didn’t let them just dribble up and get into their sets easily. We made them start their sets later in the shot clock which made a difference. It’s just about that energy."
For the Pacers, slowing down Bradley Beal will be priority number one. The sharpshooting guard leads Washington in scoring this season with 23.4 points per game.
Projected Starters
Cory Joseph
Victor Oladipo
Bojan Bogdanovic
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Tomas Satoransky
Bradley Beal
Otto Porter Jr.
Markieff Morris
Marcin Gortat
Pacers: PG - Cory Joseph, SG - Victor Oladipo, SF - Bojan Bogdanovic, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Wizards: PG - Tomas Satoransky, SG - Bradley Beal, SF - Otto Porter Jr., PF - Markieff Morris, C - Marcin Gortat
Injury Report
Pacers: Darren Collison - out (left knee arthroscopic surgery rehab)
Wizards: John Wall - out (left knee surgery), Devin Robinson - (G League assignment)
Last Meeting
February 5, 2018: Playing without their starting backcourt, the Pacers did not have enough firepower to hang with the Wizards, falling to Washington at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 111-102. Darren Collison missed the game after deciding with team doctors to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery, while Victor Oladipo sat out due to illness.
Bojan Bogdanovic led all scorers with a season-high 29 points, going 9-for-15 from the field and 5-for-7 from 3-point range. Joe Young made 5-of-8 3-pointers and added 17 points, while Domantas Sabonis chipped in 15 points for Indiana.
Bradley Beal led Washington with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 15 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Wizards, who had eight players score in double figures.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers have dropped four straight games against Washington.
- Indiana is 6-6 on the season when playing the first night of a back-to-back, including a 4-4 record on the road.
- Wizards backup center Ian Mahinmi spent four seasons in Indiana from 2012-16, helping the Pacers reach the Eastern Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons in 2013 and 2014.
- Pacers forward Bojan Bogdanovic was traded to Washington last February and helped the Wizards reach the 2017 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Tickets
Following a four-game road trip, the Pacers return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, March 5 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 107.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Away Game Night Special
Pacers 49 States T-Shirt - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »