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The Indiana Pacers (2-2) will play against the Washington Wizards (1-2) in their fifth game in the Las Vegas NBA Summer League 2021 on Monday. The two teams are coming off victories in their respective matches over the weekend and are hoping to continue their winning ways today.
Saturday’s lopsided 95-61 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder was the second win for the Indiana Pacers, who were led by rookie guard Chris Duarte and his 19 points. The Pacers’ team effort shone brightest on the defensive end as they blanketed the Thunder into not scoring more than 18 points in a quarter.
Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards registered their first win of the tournament on Sunday, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks 93-83. Rookie forward Corey Kispert scored 18 points to power the Wizards to an exhilarating win, wherein they led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter.
Match Details
Fixture - Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards | NBA Las Vegas Summer League 2021
Date & Time - Monday, August 16th, 3:00 PM ET (Tuesday, August 17th, 12:30 AM IST)
Venue - Cox Pavilion, Las Vegas, NV
Indiana Pacers Preview
After two straight losses to begin Summer League play in Las Vegas, the Indiana Pacers have reeled off two consecutive 30-point victories. Their defense was spectacular against the Thunder, who shot an ice-cold 30.9 percent from the field, including 13.3 percent from beyond the arc.
The Indiana Pacers also had six steals and seven blocks. They forced the OKC Thunder to make 19 turnovers.
The Pacers' offense wasn’t too shabby either as they made 46.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range.
Duarte was ably supported by Keifer Sykes, who had 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field, while also contributing four assists to the Indiana Pacers’ cause.
Key Player - Chris Duarte
Chris Duarte continues to show that he deserved to be picked 13th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he is making a case that he should have even gone higher.
For the second game in a row, Duarte scored 19 points with a higher than +20 plus-minus (+29 versus the Portland Trail Blazers and +22 versus the Thunder). He shot 7 of 15 from the field and 3 of 4 from deep on Saturday.
When the Indiana Pacers take to the court again on Monday, Duarte will be receiving a lot of defensive attention from the Washington Wizards.
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Jordan Bone l Shooting Guard - Chris Duarte l Small Forward - Cassius Stanley l Power Forward - Oshae Brissett l Center - Amida Brimah
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards found a way to win on Sunday, extending a slim six-point lead by halftime to come away with a double-digit victory.
Aside from Kispert, Caleb Homesley had 15 points, Mason Jones scored 14 and Jaime Echenique added 13 for the Wizards.
Homesley starred for the Washington Wizards in the second half, scoring 13 of his 15 points on 60% shooting. Though they shot poorly from the field (41.6%), the Wizards drained 12 threes compared to just seven for the Bucks. They also made 17 free throws as opposed to just 12 for their opponent.
To claim another win in Summer League action, the Washington Wizards have to shoot better against the Indiana Pacers and play more consistently on defense.
Key Player - Corey Kispert
After struggling in his first two Summer League games in Las Vegas, Corey Kispert found his range against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 18 points he scored for the Washington Wizards came as a result of 7-of-12 shooting from the field overall and 4-of-7 makes from behind the arc.
“I felt like the game kind of slowed down a little bit for me,” Kispert said after the game. “But also, the shots fell. I probably took the same amount of shots as I did in the first couple games, but when the ball finds the bottom of the net, things feel a little bit easier. It’s just taking it game-by-game.”
The Indiana Pacers will undoubtedly look to focus on keeping the Washington Wizards rookie from scoring from the outside. This will give him a chance to show everyone how he fares against tight defenses.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Jordan Goodwin l Shooting Guard - Caleb Homesley l Small Forward - Corey Kispert l Power Forward - Dewan Hernandez l Center - Jay Huff
Pacers vs Wizards Match Prediction
By virtue of the Indiana Pacers’ last two outings, Monday's game should go in their favor. Not only has their defense shone in the past two games, but they have also shown the ability to put the ball in the hole more consistently than the Washington Wizards have.
Kispert has only one good game under his belt, but Duarte has been averaging 18.3 points per game as one of the top rookies in Las Vegas.
This Summer League game should go to the Indiana Pacers at the expense of the Washington Wizards.
Where to watch Pacers vs Wizards
The Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards game will be televised nationally in the U.S. by ESPN's family of networks along with NBA TV. International viewers can also watch the game live on the NBA League Pass.
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