Interim Report
Fortunes may be turning for the Wizards after losing six in a row. They have some cushion as they currently lead the Pacers 69-55. The Wizards took a big hit to their ego on Wednesday, so a win here would be a nice rebound.
The Wizards came into the competition with a little extra motivation after the defeat they were dealt the last time these two teams faced away. We will see if they are able to flip the script or if it will just be more of the same.
Who Plays
Indiana Pacers @ Washington Wizards
Current Records: Indiana 13-9, Washington 3-20
How to Look
- When: Friday, December 15, 2023 at 7:00 PM ET
- Where: Capital One Arena — Washington, District of Columbia
- Television: Bally Sports Midwest – Indiana
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Ticket Cost: $12.99
What to Know
The Pacers and Wizards are even 5-5 against each other since May 2021, but not for long. The Indiana Pacers road trip will continue as they head out to face the Washington Wizards at 7:00 pm ET on December 15th at Capital One Arena. Both teams lost in their last game, so they will have plenty of motivation to get the “W”.
The oddsmakers raised the bar, but the Pacers and the Bucks did not disappoint and passed the 258.5 point over/under on Wednesday. Indiana took a tough 140-126 fall against Milwaukee.
Even though they lost, the Pacers crashed the offensive glass and finished the game with 16 offensive rebounds. That’s the most offensive rebounds they’ve managed all season.
Meanwhile, the Wizards’ recent rough patch got a little rougher on Wednesday after their sixth straight loss. They suffered a bad 142-122 defeat to New Orleans. The Wizards got out to an early lead (up 15 with 7:01 left in the first quarter), but unfortunately they couldn’t keep that momentum going.
Kyle Kuzma put in a good effort for the losing side as he scored 27 points along with seven rebounds. He continues to roll, surpassing his previous point total in each of the last three games he has played.
Indiana’s defeat dropped their record down to 13-9. As for Washington, they’ve had a rocky road lately as they’ve lost 15 of their last 16 games, which put a noticeable dent in their 3-20 record this season.
Friday’s game is shaping up to be a masterclass in shooting: The Pacers simply can’t miss this season, making 50.8% of their shots per game (they’re ranked first in field goal percentage per game overall). However, it’s not like the Wizards are struggling in that department as they’ve made 48.2% of their shots per game this season. Given these competing forces, it will be interesting to see how their clash plays out.
The Pacers took their win against the Wizards when the teams last played back in October by a decisive 143-120 decision. The rematch might be a little more difficult for the Pacers because the team won’t have the home court advantage this time around. We’ll see if the change of location makes a difference.
Probability
Indiana is a hefty 8.5-point favorite against Washington, according to the latest NBA odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feeling for the line for this one, because the game opened with the Pacers as an 8-point favorite.
The oddsmakers expect fireworks from the offense and set the over/under at a high 259.5 points.
See NBA picks for every game, including this one, from SportsLine’s advanced computer model. Get options now.
Series History
Washington and Indiana both have 5 wins in their last 10 games.
- October 25, 2023 – Indiana 143 vs. Washington 120
- February 11, 2023 – Washington 127 vs. Indiana 113
- Dec 09, 2022 – Indiana 121 vs. Washington 111
- October 28, 2022 – Indiana 127 vs. Washington 117
- October 19, 2022 – Washington 114 vs. Indiana 107
- Mar 06, 2022 – Washington 133 vs. Indiana 123
- February 16, 2022 – Indiana 113 vs. Washington 108
- Dec 06, 2021 – Indiana 116 vs. Washington 110
- October 22, 2021 – Washington 135 vs. Indiana 134
- May 20, 2021 – Washington 142 vs. Indiana 115
Injury Report for the Wizards
- Delon Wright: out (knee)
- Landry Shamet: out (Ribs)
- Eugene Omoruyi: Questionable (Concussion)
- Ryan Rollins: out (knee)
- Johnny Davis: out (Calf)
Injury Report for the Pacers
- Jalen Smith: out (Heel)
- Andrew Nembhard: out (knee)
