Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards Prediction & Match Preview - August 3rd, 2020
Match Details
Fixture: Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards
Date & Time: Monday, August 3rd, 2020, 4:00 PM ET (Tuesday 1:30 AM IST)
Venue: VISA Athletic Center, Orlando, FL
Eastern Conference teams Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards will battle each other in the NBA bubble in a game where the former will be looking to improve their record and climb up the conference standings. However, the Washington Wizards might turn out to be tricky customers in what is expected to be a one-sided affair.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers would be buoyed after their victory over the Philadelphia 76ers in their last game. TJ Warren of the Indiana Pacers had a career night in which he ended up scoring a career-high 53 points against a strong Philadelphia 76ers defence. The Indiana Pacers will be hoping to get a similar result against a comparatively weak squad of Washington Wizards. The Indiana Pacers also welcomed talismanic shooting guard Victor Oladipo in their last game and he will be looking to make his presence felt against the Washington Wizards.
Key Player- TJ Warren
Forward TJ Warren went off for 53 points in the game against Philadelphia 76ers while being guarded by NBA Defensive Player of the Year candidate Ben Simmons. He will be facing a team which doesn't boast a lot of defensive quality so we can expect another big scoring night from him. The former Phoenix Suns star became the fifth player in NBA history to hit nine 3s and nine 2-point field goals in a game, joining James Harden (who has done it four times), Damian Lillard (twice) and Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry (once each).
Indiana Pacers Predicted Lineup
Aaron Holiday, Victor Oladipo, TJ Warren, Justin Holiday, Myles Turner
Also read: How to be a virtual fan in NBA Bubble games? - A detailed procedure
Washington Wizards Preview
The Washington Wizards sit at the 9th spot in the eastern conference standings with a 24-41 record. They are vying for a playoff berth, and a win against fellow eastern conference team Indiana Pacers will certainly help the cause. The Washington Wizards are missing the services of their star shooting guard Bradley Beal, who opted out of the restart in the NBA bubble. They lost their last game against the Brooklyn Nets but will be looking to bounce back in this tie against the Indiana Pacers.
Key Player- Rui Hachimura
Rookie Rui Hachimura has had a impressive campaign with the Washington Wizards. In his first year in the NBA, he has certainly lived up to the hype and has integrated himself fairly well in the Washington Wizards setup. With Bradley Beal unavailable, the Washington Wizards will be looking at Hachimura to take them over the line against the Indiana Pacers. He scored 21 points and grabbed 8 rebounds against the Phoenix Suns.
Washington Wizards Predicted Lineup
Shabazz Napier, Troy Brown, Isaac Bonga, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant
Indiana Pacers vs Washington Wizards Match Prediction
The Indiana Pacers came out on top against a strong opposition in Philadelphia 76ers so this game should be an easy outing for them. The Wizards enter the game as underdogs and will be looking to win this game to secure a playoff spot. However, the Pacers look in good shape and should easily win this tie. Bradley Beal's absence will also hurt the Wizards' chances to win.
Where to watch Pacers vs Wizards?
Local coverage of the match can be seen on NBCS. The same will be broadcasted nationwide in the US on ESPN. Fans in India can watch the game live on Sony Six. You can also live stream the fixture via NBA League Pass.
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