Tyrese Haliburton delivered a dominant performance as the Indiana Pacers set a franchise record for points in a game, demolishing the Washington Wizards 162-109 on Thursday night.
Haliburton scored 29 points, leading nine Indiana players in double figures as the Pacers (43-30) maintained their hold on fourth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Indiana surpassed its previous scoring record of 157 points, which was set last season.
Washington (16-57) allowed the most points in franchise history and the most by any team in an NBA game this season. Rookie Alex Sarr led the Wizards with 22 points, but his efforts were overshadowed by Indiana’s relentless offensive attack.
Myles Turner added 17 points for the Pacers, who bounced back from a heartbreaking loss to the Lakers the previous night, when LeBron James’ last-second tip-in ended their five-game winning streak.
The outcome was never in doubt, as Indiana raced to an 83-61 halftime lead and extended its advantage to 125-88 by the end of the third quarter. The Pacers shot 66% from the field and made 22 of their first 34 attempts from three-point range.
The Pacers dished out 48 assists on 59 made field goals, showcasing their elite ball movement. Their efficiency was overwhelming for a Wizards defense that failed to contain any aspect of Indiana’s attack.
Indiana remains in a tight battle for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, with Detroit (41-32) and Milwaukee (40-32) still within striking distance. Taking care of business against struggling teams like Washington is crucial for their postseason positioning.
Sarr provided one of the few bright spots for the Wizards, following up his 24-point performance in a win over Philadelphia with another strong showing. However, Washington’s defense provided little resistance as Indiana carved them up possession after possession.
