NBA: Pacers sizzle with 19 3s to rout Wizards
WASHINGTON — Indiana forward Paul George thinks his team doesn’t get enough attention.
With more nights like Tuesday, the Pacers will.
George scored a season-high 40 points and made seven 3-pointers, part of a franchise-record 19 by the Pacers in a 123-106 victory over the Washington Wizards.
C.J. Miles added 32 points, his most since joining the Pacers before the start of last season, as Indiana won for the ninth time in 11 games following an 0-3 start.
“We always get overlooked,” George said. “We’re still getting used to the system, but now we’re flowing.”
Miles was 8 of 9 from beyond the arc, and George also missed only once from deep as the Pacers tied their season scoring high set Saturday against Milwaukee.
Indiana also finished 73.1 percent (19 of 26) from 3-point range, crushing their previous season high of 44.4 percent (12 of 27).
“First time I’ve seen something like that,” said George, smiling and shaking his head.
Said frustrated Wizards guard Bradley Beal: “When I’m standing this close to you and you’re still making shots, I mean, what else do you want us to do?”
Gary Neal scored 23 points off the bench for the Wizards, whose three-game winning streak was snapped.
Beal added 20 points and John Wall scored 18 for Washington, which has lost five of its six games when it allows more than 110 points.
“We have to let this one go,” said Wizards coach Randy Wittman, who at times this season has criticized his team’s defense. “I thought our guys played hard, I don’t have a problem with that. We just ran into a hot team shooting the ball.”
Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) releases a 3-point shot over Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015, in Washington. George had 40 points. The Pacers won 123-106, hitting a franchise-record 19 3-pointers. AP
Even with George and Miles combining to shoot a perfect 9 of 9 beyond the arc before halftime, the Wizards remained close for much of the first half and even led for stretches of the second quarter before the Pacers pulled away.
Miles finally missed his first 3-point attempt midway through the third, but answered with his seventh and longest of the game to beat the shot clock and make it 81-74.
George’s turnaround jumper later in the quarter pushed it to 86-77, and then his pull-up 3 from the left wing made it 91-81, the first double-digit lead for either team.
“We’ve been talking about making people try and pick their poison,” Miles said of his partnership with George. “There’s a lot of space out there when he does what he does. I just try and move in the gaps and find spaces and be aggressive when I get my chances.”
