Wall, Beal lead Wizards to victory over Pacers in Game 1
The Washington Wizards defeated the Indiana Pacers 102-96 in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinals matchup to take 1-0 series lead.
The Wizards were buoyed by the scoring of their perimeter players. Point guard John Wall struggled to find his shot, but racked up 9 assists to go along with 13 points scored. His teammates Bradley Beal and Trevor Ariza picked up the scoring slack, as they combined for 47 on 15-for-28 shooting, including 9-of-11 from three.
The Pacers' defense had difficulty containing Washington's multi-faceted offense. Wall's penetration, and the play of post players Nene and Marcin Gortat allowed the Wizards to employ an effective inside-out attack, which culminated in open three-point looks. The Wizards shot 10-for-16 from beyond on the night.
Indiana was led in scoring by guards Paul George and George Hill, who both scored 18 points apiece. Pacers center Roy Hibbert's struggles continued, as he scored exactly zero points and collected zero rebounds, prompting former Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas to mock the struggling All-Star on Instagram.
Star Performer
If the Pacers' first round playoff series proved anything, it was that Indiana struggles with defending floor-stretching schemes revolved around three-point shooting.
The Wizards' coaching staff clearly took notice, and prioritized their sweet-stroking wing players. The strategy paid off, as Beal and Ariza combined for 47 points and shot a collective 81.8 percent from beyond.
Trevor Ariza was perfect from 3-pt range for @WashWizards in 1st half. pic.twitter.com/B84wOIHe4g
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 6, 2014
Turning Point
The Wizards led from start to finish, so there wasn't exactly an inflection point for the game.
However, John Wall set the tone early with a pair of back-to-back blocks midway through the second quarter. Wall caught both Pacers guards Paul George and Lance Stephenson in transition. The video is below.
Wall helped the Wizards hold the Pacers to just 40.7 percent shooting from the field.
Highlight Reel
John Wall can play defense:
John Wall can play offense:
Anti-highlight: When it rains, it pours for Hibbert.
Quotes of the Game
Atlanta point guard Jeff Teague wants credit for solving the Pacers, who eliminated the Hawks in round one.
We handed out the blue print
— Jeff Teague (@Teague0) May 6, 2014
Series at a Glance
Game 1: WAS 102, IND 96 (Wizards lead 1-0)
Game 2: Wednesday, May 7 - 7:00 p.m. ET
Game 3: Friday, May 9 - 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 4: Sunday, May 11 - 8:00 p.m. ET
Game 5*: Tuesday, May 13 - TBD
Game 6*: Thursday, May 15 - TBD
Game 7*: Sunday, May 18 - TBD
*if needed