Pacers clamp down on Wizards
Indiana grabs series lead by limiting Washington to 63 points
5/10/2014WASHINGTON — Paul George had his best game of the series with 23 points and eight rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers held the Washington Wizards to a franchise-low playoff total Friday night in an 85-63 victory for a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Roy Hibbert was again a factor for Indiana with 14 points, five rebounds, and three blocks.
Washington made only 24 field goals, another team postseason worst, on 73 attempts, 32.9 percent. That included 4 of 16 on 3s, and it didn't get much better on free throws, where the Wizards were 11 of 21.
So much for the bandwagon-hopping in Washington. There were boos on occasion, and most of the fans started heading to the exits after George's 3 with 3½ minutes left made it 75-58.
The score was 17-all after the first quarter, and Indiana led 34-33 at halftime. It was only the 13th NBA playoff game in the shot-clock era, which dates to the 1954-55 season, that two teams combined for 67 or fewer first-half points, according to STATS. The record of 60 came in a 2004 game between Indiana and Detroit.
The Wizards' final total of 63 points eclipsed the team postseason worst of 75, established 1½ weeks ago in Washington's Game 5 victory that eliminated the Chicago Bulls in the first round. It's also tied for the fourth-lowest total by any club since 1954-55.
Washington’ John Wall came in with five turnovers in his previous four games, but he had seven Friday.