Pacers 93, Wizards 73
INDIANAPOLIS -- Forward Paul George scored 23 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 93-73 victory on Friday night that ended the Washington Wizards' three-game winning streak.
Guard George Hill and center Roy Hibbert scored 13 points each for the Pacers (15-1), who extended their winning streak to six.
Washington (8-8) was led by center Marcin Gorat's double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds. Guard John Wall was held to eight points (11 1/2 points below his season average of 19.5 per game) on 4-of-10 shooting from the field.
The opening six minutes was a battle between two teams on winning streaks, but the final six minutes of the first quarter was all Pacers.
The Eastern Conference-leading Pacers took control when guard Lance Stephenson found George cutting across the baseline for a layup, giving the Pacers a 13-12 lead.
Hill then scored the next five for the Pacers. He led all scorers in the first half with 10 points.
Indiana went on a 15-2 run to close the quarter leading 28-14.
Stephenson was held to seven points on 3-of-7 shooting from the field but manageed a double-double with a team-high 10 assists and 11 rebounds.
The sluggish Wizards woke up in the second quarter with George, Hibbert and David West spending more time on the bench than on the court in the second quarter. Guard Eric Maynor's 3-of-4 shooting from the field and seven points pulled Washington within seven heading into halftime.
Second-quarter troubles are nothing new for the Pacers. They had been outscored 368-299 before Friday's game. Their 15 points are tied for third lowest for the season.
In the second quarter, the Pacers were a dismal 6-of-23 shooting (26.1 percent) and the Wizards made 10 of 18 (55.6 percent).
NOTES: The Pacers entered Friday's game with 120 blocks to lead the NBA, led by C Roy Hibbert's league-leading 59 (3.93 bpg). ... Pacers G George Hill scored his 4,000th point late in the first quarter and G C.J. Watson had his 1,000th assist early in the second. ... The Pacers' second unit scored a season-best 37 points in their last game against the Charlotte Bobcats, led by Watson's 18 points. ... The Wizards entered the game having won five of their last six after starting the season losing seven of their first nine. ... Wizards G John Wall was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Nov. 18-24. Wall averaged 24.3 points, 8.5 assists and 2.75 steals in the four games to lead Washington to a 3-1 record. ... Entering the game, Washington is 21-57 in games played against Indiana on the Pacers' home court. Its last win came on April 18, 2007 (98-95). ... F Nene was out of the Wizards' starting lineup with a sore right Achilles tendon.
