Buddy Hield #24 of the Indiana Pacers against the Washington Wizards at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on December 09, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Andy Lyons/Getty Images/AFP
Buddy Hield scored a season-high 28 points and Tyrese Haliburton collected 23 points and 11 assists to fuel the host Indiana Pacers to a 121-111 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday in Indianapolis.
Hield’s point total eclipsed his previous season high of 26 points, set in a 128-117 win over Brooklyn on Nov. 25 and matched in a 121-115 setback at Minnesota on Wednesday.
Hield made 12 of 19 shots from the floor and four 3-pointers for the Pacers, who improved to 8-4 at home. Indiana shot a robust 50.6 percent from the floor (43 of 85) and 43.9 percent from beyond the arc (18 of 41).
Buddy Hield balled out tonight.
28 PTS (season-high)
4 AST
3 STL pic.twitter.com/Rs7N82k9q9— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 10, 2022
Rookie Bennedict Mathurin recorded 18 points and eight rebounds and Oshae Brissett added 16 and eight, respectively, for Indiana.
Washington’s Kristaps Porzingis scored 29 points after making 11 of 13 shots from the floor, including all nine in the first half.
Kyle Kuzma added 27 points, seven rebounds and seven assists for the Wizards, who have dropped five in a row overall and seven straight games on the road. Jordan Goodwin added 19 points off the bench.
Myles Turner and Haliburton each scored from the interior to give Indiana a 108-99 lead with 4:20 remaining in the fourth quarter. Washington’s Corey Kispert made a pair of free throws to stop the momentum.
rookie guard @BennMathurin continued to shine tonight.
18 PTS
8 AST
+18 pic.twitter.com/GmUWVZ2yzN— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 10, 2022
However, Hield answered with a step-back jumper and Turner and Haliburton each added a 3-pointer to send the Pacers to victory.
Washington erased a four-point deficit at halftime by scoring 11 of the first 12 points of the third quarter before Indiana countered with a 25-11 run. Andrew Nembhard, Hield and Aaron Nesmith each drained a 3-pointer before Brissett converted from beyond the arc to cap the surge and give the Pacers a 95-87 lead.
Both teams shot the lights out in the first half, with Indiana making 65.0 percent of its shots from the floor (26 of 40) and 58.8 percent from 3-point range (10 of 17) to claim a 69-65 lead at intermission. Washington converted 64.3 percent from the floor (27 of 42) and 50.0 percent from 3-point range (8 of 16).