Wizards vs Pacers Season Opener: Second Half Notes
Third Quarter
At the top of the second half, the Wizards announced that Deni Avdija was questionable to return to the contest.
At 5:04 on the clock, the Wizards increased the score to 81-68. The Pacers respond by taking a timeout. With Myles Turner out, the Wizards continued to dominate the paint making 42 of their points so far in the game there.
Wizards and basketball fans overall got to see a connection between two veterans to watch this season, Real Deal Bradley Beal and the Unicorn Kristaps Porzingis.
At 2:04, Wizards still maintained a ten point lead. At times appeared that the Pacers would regain momentum but the Wiz continued to make their way up the scoreboard.
(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Daniel Gafford showed his defensive skillset throughout the game and it especially shined in the third quarter. Hustling for the ball to prevent a potential turnover and continuing to block shots are just some of the ways Gafford continued to show his impact in the game.
At the end of the third quarter, the score was Wizards 87, Pacers 75
Bradley Beal was the Wizards scoring leader at the end of the quarter with 20 points, followed by Kyle Kuzma with 18.
Fourth Quarter
At 11:44 the scoreboard read Wizards 91, Pacers 77.
At the 6:47 mark, it was announced that Deni Avdija would be available to return to the game if needed. He could be seen near the bench doing a few jumps as if to see how his ankle was feeling.
Under two minutes left in the game and the Wizards started to see their lead dwindle. Could this be a sign of the fourth quarter meltdown that has haunted this team for the past few years? With just seconds left in the game the Pacers brought the score to within three. At this point, it appeared that both teams were having mental lapses in the final moments.
The Wizards hold on to win their first game of the season while on the road. Wizards 114, Pacers 107
