Game Rewind: Pacers 107, Wizards 105

With the game tied and just 4.1 seconds remaining, everyone in Bankers Life Fieldhouse knew that the Pacers wanted to get the ball in the hands of All-Star forward Paul George.

The Washington Wizards knew it, too, so they pressed up on George and didn't allow Jeff Teague to inbound the ball.

So Teague instead inbounded to Thaddeus Young, who drove to his left and knocked down a falling floater with 0.9 seconds left to lift Indiana (15-14) to a 107-105 win over Washington (12-15) on Monday night.

"They played pretty good defense on that possession, where they took the ball out of Paul's hands," Young said after the win. "I just (saw) that I had to flash to the ball, which we discussed in the huddle, and just made a play."

Bradley Beal had a chance to win the game for Washington from the left corner on the ensuing inbounds, but his shot clanged off the rim as the buzzer sounded.

George led all scorers with 27 points and Jeff Teague recorded his fourth double-double of the season as Indiana won its second straight contest, following up on Saturday's 105-90 win in Detroit.

But it was Young, who also had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, who played the role of hero.

"Thad is definitely our glue guy, a guy that doesn't necessarily get play calls, but does all the little stuff," George said. "So it's good (to see him be the hero)."

The only question now is if the Pacers can turn their recent success into their first prolonged winning streak of the season. Through 29 games, Indiana has yet to win or lose more than two contests in a row.

Just in the last 10 days, the Pacers won two straight games over Portland and Charlotte, dropped consecutive contests in Miami and New Orleans, then bounced back with wins over the Pistons and Wizards.

The visitors jumped in front early, scoring the game's first eight points and opening up a 12-1 lead just 2:37 into the game. That prompted Pacers head coach Nate McMillan to take a quick timeout to reconvene his troops.

Indiana quickly settled into a rhythm offensively, but the Wizards remained hot through the rest of the opening quarter, taking a 36-29 lead into the break. Washington shot 60.9 percent from the field and knocked down 4-of-7 attempts from 3-point range in the first quarter.

Fortunes changed for the Pacers in the second quarter. Led by eight points from Al Jefferson, the Blue & Gold's reserves opened the period strong offensively. And when the starters checked back in, Indiana promptly went on a 10-0 run to take its first lead of the night.

Washington responded with six unanswered points of their own to regain the lead before a wild sequence in the half's closing seconds.

George drew a foul on a 3-point shot and knocked down all three free throws to tie the game at 55 before Wizards point guard John Wall knocked down a jumper with eight seconds remaining to put Washington back in front.

Teague then raced down the court in response. Teague's layup rimmed out, but Thaddeus Young was there to tip it in for Indiana with four seconds left in the half. Wall set up Bradley Beal for a corner three off the ensuing inbounds, but his shot missed, sending the two teams into the locker room tied at 57.

Teague really got the Pacers offense rolling in the third quarter. The former Pike High School star scored 11 points and dished out three assists as Indiana scored 31 points in the period to open up a nine-point lead. The hosts shot 57.1 percent from the field and knocked down 4-of-7 threes in the frame to surge ahead.

The Wizards, however, scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, tying the game once again at 88. The Pacers moved back in front on Myles Turner's layup with 9:03 remaining and maintained a narrow advantage for the next several minutes.

The Blue & Gold eventually extended their lead with a 9-3 run, capped by a 3-pointer and midrange jumper from George on consecutive possessions that made it 101-93.

The Wizards clawed their way back, eventually cutting the deficit to two at 105-103 with 50.1 seconds to play when Turner fouled out and Beal knocked down the two corresponding free throws.

After George missed a jumper on the other end, Beal tied the game with a leaning jumper from the right wing with 15.7 seconds left, setting the stage for a wild finish. The Pacers originally inbounded to George, but Otto Porter, Jr. committed an intentional foul with 4.1 seconds left, forcing Indiana to inbound again.

George scored 27 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with nine rebounds. Teague added 23 points, 10 assists, and three steals for Indiana. Turner finished with 20 points, eight boards, and five blocks.

Wall (19 points and 10 assists) and Marcin Gortat (21 points and 13 rebounds) both had double-doubles for the Wizards. Beal had a team-high 22 points, but was just 3-for-11 from 3-point range.

The Pacers now head to New York, where they will meet the Knicks on Tuesday night at 7:30 PM ET. They return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Thursday to host the Boston Celtics.

C.J. Miles and Jefferson both scored 10 points off the bench for Indiana, the only points by any Pacers reserves. Both Indiana and Washington finished the night with exactly 20 bench points.

Turner's five blocks matched his season high. He also pulled off the feat last Wednesday in Miami.

Teague's fourth double-double tied him with Turner for the team lead on the season. Young recorded his third double-double of the season, tying George for next-most on the roster.

Though the score remained close for most of the night, Monday's game only featured six ties and five lead changes.

Teague now has four double-doubles in just 29 games with the Pacers. He had only four double-doubles in 79 games with Atlanta last season.

The Pacers travel to New York for their first meeting of the season with the Knicks on Tuesday, Dec. 20. Tipoff at Madison Square Garden is set for 7:30 PM ET.

The Pacers will host the Boston Celtics in a Hickory Game on Thursday, Dec. 22 at 7:00 PM ET. Indiana high school basketball legend Damon Bailey will be the night's Hickory honoree. Find Tickets »