Local Sports

Pacers Down Wizards

Tyrese Halibutron had 21 points and 14 assists, Tristan Thompson finished with a season-high 17 points and the Pacers beat the Washington Wizards 113-108 in Thompson's final game with Indiana.

 

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle announced that Thompson will be waived Thursday and is is expected to sign with the Chicago Bulls.

 

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Wizards with 27 points. Kyle Kuzma finished with 26 points, 15 rebounds and matched his season-best with six 3-pointers as Washington lost for the fourth time in six games. Kristaps Porzingis continued to sit out with a bruised right knee, and coach Wes Unseld Jr. also ruled out Porzingis for Thursday's game against Brooklyn.

 

With both teams starting the day below the Eastern Conference's play-in round cutline and the long break looming, the game, predictably, lacked energy.

 

Indiana appeared to take control when it scored six straight points to grab a 76-63 lead late in the third quarter. But Washington steadily cut into the lead, closing to 86-82 early in the fourth and eventually making it 95-94 when Caldwell-Pope made a 3-pointer with 5:18 remaining.

 

But Indiana answered with six straight and after Caldwell-Pope made back-to-back baskets to twice make it a two-point game in the final 90 seconds, Oshae Brissett's dunk with 21.3 seconds left finally helped Indiana close it out.

 

Buddy Hield had 15 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Brissett had 17 points and six rebounds. Lance Stephenson finished with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists. 

 

Indiana has had losing streaks of seven and six games as well as three four-game skids and two three-game losing streaks. The Pacers are 1-7 in February.

 

The Pacers host Oklahoma City on Feb. 25.

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