Indiana Pacers: Bold predictions for do-or-die game against the Wizards

Domantas Sabonis carries the Indiana Pacers to the tune of a 25-15-15 triple-double

The Indiana Pacers will go as far as All-Star Domantas Sabonis goes. He certainly have had his way against Washington this season, tallying a wild 32.3 points, 14.3 rebounds, and 9.3 assists stat line in three meetings this year. While the Blue and Gold has yet to crack the Wiz, Domas’ individual success against them will supercharge the game’s outlook for Indy.

One of the league’s premier playmaking bigs, Sabonis impacts the offense in a multitude of ways. Against smaller defenders and plodding centers, he can use his elegant footwork and array of post moves to score. But what makes him really unique is his passing ability, ranking second in assists among centers at 6.7 per contest. He is the center of gravity in the Pacers’ offense, being its primary facilitator and scorer. Oh, and he can also shoot it from outside.

Domas failed to score a lot against the Hornets, but he was the still the main fulcrum for Indy, netting nine assists and 20 rebounds. With the Wizard’s lack of acuity in rim protection, bank on Sabonis to lead the Pacers with a wild triple-double. Alex Len, Robin Lopez and Daniel Gafford simply do not have the tools to limit the two-time All-Star.

The undisputed MVP of the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis will continue his historically rare campaign with an equally historic three-liner. But whether this cultivates in a Pacers win and a playoff berth or a dispiriting loss is up in the air, at least until this juncture, leading us to…