Washington Wizards vs Indiana Pacers Prediction & Betting Tips - NBA

Prediction published on 14/12/2023, 17:42  by Joseph King | Modified on 14/12/2023 at 17:42 in NBA Predictions

An Eastern Conference clash in the NBA sees one of the season’s most impressive teams facing off against one of its most disappointing. The lowly 14th-place Washington Wizards play host to the fifth-place Indiana Pacers on Friday. The Wizards have managed just three wins from their first 23 games giving them the joint second-worst record in the league. Only the Pistons have a worse mark than Washington’s .130 winning percentage. The Wiz are coming off a heavy 142-122 defeat to the Pelicans, the second straight game they have been gouged for 140+ points. Washington has the third-longest active losing streak in the NBA as they’ve now lost their last six games on the spin. Defense has been Washington’s biggest problem this season as they currently rank dead-last in adjusted defensive rating (119.1). They’re also giving up 127.0 points per contest, the most in the NBA.

The Pacers will be looking to get back to winning ways as they gear up for the fifth of their six game road trip, although one of those games was the NBA IST Final against the Lakers. Indiana was unable to become the first winners of the inaugural tournament and have since gone 1-1 since the defeat. Their most recent outing resulted in a 140-126 loss to the Bucks on Wednesday, moving their record to 13-9 on the season. The Pacers continue to produce the goods on the offensive side of the ball. They not only possess far and away the highest points per game total in the league at 127.6 but they also rank first in adjusted offensive rating (119.3). It’s come at a cost, however, as Indiana also ranks 29th in adjusted defensive rating (119.0), a large reason as to why almost all of their games cruise past the posted points total.