https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ774pnbUrY
On the glass, on the scoreboard, in Boggle. It did not matter what kind of game the Wizards were playing against the Pacers. Indiana did not show up. Well Indianapolis and the state of Indiana showed up hoping to see their team realize they were still on track and get to the Eastern Conference Finals, but the Pacers just did not show up in a 102-79 Wizards win to force a Game Six on Thursday.
Certainly not on the glass, where Washington held an incredible 62-23 advantage, including 18 offensive rebounds for Washington. Certainly not anywhere.
Marcin Gortat scored 17 of his 31 points in the first half and the Wizards just kept collecting their misses and putting them back in. The Pacers were lethargic and lackadaisical. They were getting beat to every loose ball and every rebound. The rebound stat really says it all for Indiana and the effort and urgency Washington put into this game. The Wizards were clearly the ones playing with elimination on the line.
The Pacers? It is hard to explain how something like this could happen?
Roy Hibbert had no rebounds. Paul George had just one rebound total. David West grabbed only six rebounds. These are the star players and they have to lead with their effort.
John Wall did that in awakening from his slump and scoring 27 points on 11-for-20 shooting. He took control of the third quarter as Washington turned a seven-point halftime lead into a 30-point lead on the road.
This inconsistency from the Pacers really has to stop if they want to continuing scraping and advancing. Maybe they are doing just what they have to do.
