The Indiana Pacers handed the Washington Wizards their 11th straight loss with a 115-103 win on Sunday night.
Now, the Pacers will look to extend the New Orleans Pelicans’ losing streak to five games when the two teams meet in Indianapolis on Monday night.
Indiana, which had lost three games in a row during a winless road trip to Toronto, Houston, and Milwaukee, was much better defensively against Washington. The Pacers had allowed 130, 130, and 129 points in those previous losses but held the Wizards to just 16 points in the fourth quarter.
“We got better defensively,” said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. “We were better at keeping their drivers square in front of us, and we made some good things happen offensively.”
Pascal Siakam scored 22 points, and Tyrese Haliburton added 21 to help lead the Pacers, who had seven players score in double figures.
Indiana improved to 5-2 at home, even though they were missing three key players due to injuries: Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, and Ben Sheppard.
“Right now, we’re looking for anybody with energy that will run and will give the best possible effort defensively,” Carlisle said.
The Pelicans are hoping to break their losing streak as they slowly start getting some injured players back on the court.
Brandon Ingram, the team’s leading scorer, returned from an ankle injury and played in the 112-108 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday, after missing one game. Jordan Hawkins also returned after missing seven games due to a back injury.
“I had a minute restriction on me, but I felt like I got up and down a lot,” Hawkins said. “Still trying to get my conditioning right but it felt good.” Hawkins scored six points in 20 minutes of play.
Ingram finished the game with 18 points and seven assists in 36 minutes.
“He’s battling through some bumps and bruises right now,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “We’re putting a lot on his shoulders. He’s been doing a really good job of coming in every day and getting his work, getting his treatment, and keeping himself available to get on the floor and help his team.”
Trey Murphy III has missed the second game of two recent back-to-back sets as he works through a hamstring injury. He had already missed the first 10 games of the season due to injury. In the five games Murphy has played, his point total has steadily increased, reaching a high of 24 points against Golden State.
Green praised his team’s “game-plan discipline and execution” in the loss to the Warriors but added, “Unfortunately, in the NBA, there are just no moral victories.”
Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, who has missed 13 games due to a strained adductor, hopes to return to action on Monday.
Dejounte Murray, Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, and Jose Alvarado are all still sidelined indefinitely.
Since defeating the Pacers 125-118 on Nov. 1, the Pelicans have won only one of their last 11 games. Williamson had 34 points and 10 assists, while Ingram added 26 points and seven assists in that game. For the Pacers, Sheppard scored 20 points, Bennedict Mathurin added 19, and Siakam chipped in 16.
