NBA: Pacers halt 7-game skid with victory over Wizards
Tyrese Haliburton #0 of the Indiana Pacers. –PACERS PHOTO
Tyrese Haliburton had 21 points and 14 assists to lead a balanced attack as the Indiana Pacers snapped their seven-game losing streak with a 113-108 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday in Indianapolis.
Terry Taylor scored all of his 18 points in the second half for Indiana, which won for the first time since Jan. 31. Tristan Thompson and Oshae Brissett scored 17 points apiece, Buddy Hield added 15, and Lance Stephenson had 11.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led Washington with 27 points. Kyle Kuzma contributed 26 points and 15 rebounds, Deni Avdija had 14 points, and Raul Neto and Ish Smith had 10 apiece.
The Wizards trailed 105-103 after Caldwell-Pope scored with 42.9 seconds left before Brissett dunked with 21.3 seconds remaining.
After Kuzma missed a layup with 17.7 seconds left, Indiana made four straight foul shots to seal its first win over an Eastern Conference opponent since Dec. 16.
Indiana, which had just nine players available due to injuries, shot 54.2 percent from the field but 4 of 20 (20 percent) from 3-point range.
The teams were deadlocked at 25 before Indiana opened the second quarter on an 18-7 run and led by 13 with 3:09 left in the half.
Thompson scored 12 points in the first half for the Pacers, who held a 56-51 advantage at the break despite shooting 2 of 13 (15.4 percent) from 3-point range.
Indiana extended its lead to 13 with 1:34 left in the third quarter, but Washington closed with five straight points to cut the deficit to 84-76.
Kuzma scored 13 points in the third quarter for the Wizards, who made 17 3-pointers for the game but were outscored 74-36 in the paint.
Washington trailed 84-76 heading into the fourth quarter before trimming the gap to 95-94 on Caldwell-Pope’s trey with 5:18 remaining.
Indiana played without Goga Bitadze (right foot), Chris Duarte (sore left big toe), Isaiah Jackson (right ankle sprain), Malcolm Brogdon (sore right Achilles) and Myles Turner (left foot issue).
Washington center Kristaps Porzingis, who was acquired at last week’s trade deadline, is dealing with a bone bruise in his right knee and will not make his Wizards debut until after the All-Star break.
