Pacers Fall to Russell Westbrook and Red Hot Wizards
The Indiana Pacers fell 154-141 to the Washington Wizards on Monday evening. Maybe the only positive to be taken away from the game is that their offense has been sensational over the last two games.
After scoring a franchise-record 152 points on Saturday night, they followed it up with 141 points on Monday.
That being said, their defense was horrendous, and they continue to be in the bottom ten teams in all of the NBA in points allowed per game. If they want to make the playoffs or the play-in tournament, they will need to fix their defensive issues because clearly offense is not the problem this season.
"Our initial defense wasn't very good to start the game," Nate Bjorkgren said post-game. "When a team feels the lane wide-open and the always to the rim wide open, they're going to keep attacking. We didn't do a very good job, all of us, of stopping that."
After Monday, the Pacers fell to 30-34, and the Wizards are just behind at 30-35.
Russell Westbrook went off for 14 points, 24 assists and 21 rebounds and they didn't immensely slow down Bradley Beal, who scored 26 points.
"We gotta play harder, we gotta coach better, there's a number of things," Bjorkgren said. "We're all in this together."
Caris LeVert continued his hot streak, scoring 33 points, and Domantas Sabonis had 32 points, nine assists, and 19 rebounds.
The Pacers are still without Myles Turner, and it is clear that they desperately need him on the defensive end.
On Wednesday, the Pacers return home to host the Sacramento Kings.
