Pascal Siakam Leads Pacers to Victory

Pascal Siakam scored 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, while Tyrese Haliburton added 22 points as the Indiana Pacers won their fifth consecutive game with a 104-98 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night.Bennedict Mathurin contributed 17 points to the Pacers' effort. For the Wizards, Justin Champagnie scored 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Alex Sarr added 20 points, 12 rebounds, and three blocks. However, Washington's struggles continued as they lost their third game in a row and sixth in their last seven.Wizards forward Anthony Gill left the game with right hamstring soreness after scoring zero points in just seven minutes of play.The Wizards struggled mightily in the second quarter, managing only 13 points, but still trailed by only two at halftime. The Pacers eventually pulled away late in the fourth quarter, with Siakam's basket giving them the lead for good at 94-92. Aaron Nesmith and Myles Turner then hit crucial three-pointers to put the game out of reach.The key stat of the night was the Pacers' dominance from the free throw line, converting 29 of their 37 attempts, while the Wizards went 11 for 15.Up next, the Wizards will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, while the Pacers will face off against the Cleveland Cavaliers at home on Thursday.