The Indiana Pacers will host the Washington Wizards on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams. The Pacers will host two games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, with the other two on the road in Washington. Last season, both teams could defend their home courts by winning both games they hosted. Overall, there have been 187 regular-season games between the Indiana Pacers and the Washington Wizards, with the Pacers winning 103 games and the Wizards 84. Overall, It will be fascinating to see if the Pacers can maintain their lead in the regular season series or if the Wizards can begin to close the gap.
Starting Lineup Washington Wizards
PG: Monte Morris SG: Bradley Beal SF: Will Barton PF: Kyle Kuzma C: Kristaps Porzingis
Indiana Pacers Starting Lineup
PG: Tyrese Haliburton SG: Chris Duarte SF: Buddy Hield PF: Jalen Smith C: Myles Turner
Viewing information
Location: Indianapolis; Wednesday, 7 p.m. EDT
Date/Time: Wed, Oct 19, 7:00 PM EDT on NSWA, BSIN
Injury Report:
Washington Wizards:
Kory Kispert: Due to an ankle injury, Kispert will be absent for three to five weeks, but he seems to be recovering faster than expected, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins reports.
Indiana Pacers:
Aaron Nesmith: According to Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle, Nesmith (foot) may be fit to play in Wednesday’s season-opening game against the Wizards after participating in a “little bit” of Saturday’s practice.
Stars To Watch For:
It will be vital for whoever is tasked with defending Bradley Beal to be defensively aggressive while guarding the perimeter because he will play a significant role in determining the game’s outcome. Beal has a 20.9 PPG scoring average and a 43.6 field goal percentage when facing the Indiana Pacers. The most notable example of Beal’s offensive threat is when he exploded for 50 points against the Pacers two seasons ago while impressively shooting 61% from the floor. In conclusion, The Washington Wizards will heavily depend on an excellent offensive performance from Beal; it wouldn’t be surprising if he delivers.
Tyrese Haliburton, perhaps the Indiana Pacers’ most offensively capable player, is a pivotal guy to watch in the season opener. Haliburton has demonstrated that he is a versatile player who can contribute offensively and defensively to a team. The most noteworthy aspect of Haliburton’s performance with the Pacers last season was his 8.2 APG, among the top seven among the NBA players. In addition, Haliburton also had an average of 1.7 SPG, ranking in the top five. In conclusion, expect Haliburton to have a solid start to the season; it wouldn’t be shocking if he notched a double-double.
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