Anthony Davis scored 44 in Detroit and lost by 11. Pascal Siakam had 26 by halftime in Dallas, and Indiana lost a lead. Wednesday’s meeting in Indianapolis turns the focus to the possessions in between those scoring bursts: who gets the next good shot when the defense makes someone else take it?
Where the next points come from
Davis shot 10-for-11 for 30 first-half points in Washington’s 122–111 loss at Detroit. The Wizards still trailed by 10 at halftime, with one point from their bench. Trae Young finished with 20 points and seven assists, and AJ Dybantsa scored 21. Washington had other ways to score, but it couldn’t get enough stops once Detroit shot 63.2% in the third quarter.
Siakam hit five threes before halftime in Indiana’s 125–122 loss at Dallas, then scored three points after the break. Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving combined for 26 in the fourth, and it still took a deflection on Indiana’s final possession to seal it. Aaron Nesmith hit two threes in the last minute to give the Pacers that chance.
DraftKings had Indiana favored by 3.5 in the pregame snapshot, even though our team grades give Washington the better offense (A-minus to C) and both defenses a D. Watch what happens when Davis draws a second defender. If Young can keep the ball moving and Dybantsa can attack before the defense resets, Washington has a way to stay close without another 44-point game. Indiana’s test is whether it can get Nesmith and the rest of the lineup good looks before it needs another late rally.
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What it takes to get past 226.5
Both Monday games cleared Wednesday’s total of 226.5. Looking back at the last 10 games for each team, only four Washington games and three Indiana games finished above that number. The Pacers had scored 107 or fewer in four straight before getting 122 in Dallas. Washington went from 132 at Atlanta to 75 the next night at Oklahoma City.
That’s why a quick 15 from Davis or Siakam tells you only so much about the total. The more useful stretch to watch is the next few trips: are teammates getting clean looks off the attention those two draw, or is every possession ending with a tough shot late in the clock?
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