The Indiana Pacers suffered one of their worst losses of the season on Friday night, falling to the Washington Wizards by a final score of 137-123.
It was a brutal night for the Pacers, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, as Jordan Poole and the Wizards were getting whatever they wanted all night long.
No one on the Pacers could do anything to slow down the Wizards, and unfortunately, their offense wasn’t enough to overcome the show that Poole, Kyle Kuzma, Tyus Jones, and Corey Kispert put on.
The Wizards are one of the worst teams in the league. This was a rough one. Let’s take a look at two duds and one stud from Indiana’s loss to Washington.
Dud - Buddy Hield
When Buddy Hield isn’t shooting the ball well, he’s not usually going to bring much to the floor. Unfortunately, that was the case on Friday night, as Hield struggled mightily.
The veteran sharpshooter finished the game with 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals, and three blocks but shot just 4-of-14 from the floor and 3-of-11 from behind the three-point line.
While he managed to record some solid defensive statistics against the Wizards, he’s not the best one-on-one defender. Add in the fact that his shot wasn’t falling, and it’s a recipe for disaster.
He’s been having an alright season, but with his contract and the Pacers’ desire to improve around Tyrese Haliburton, Hield feels like a prime candidate to be moved by the February 8 trade deadline this season.