The 2–15 Washington Wizards are slated to take on the 2–16 Indiana Pacers this Black Friday in a matchup between arguably the two worst teams in the NBA.
Both teams have gotten off to very slow starts this season, but for vastly different reasons. The Wizards were expected to be bad, having one of the youngest and worst rosters in the NBA. The Pacers, on the other hand, were expected to be a solid team at worst, carrying over momentum from their championship run despite being without superstar guard Tyrese Haliburton. This game creates a perfect storm for both teams to build some winning momentum that they can carry over the rest of the season.
Head of the Snake
With Haliburton out, Indiana has been left with a clear one-A, go-to option in forward Pascal Siakam. Siakam leads the Pacers in every major category — except blocks — and is undoubtedly the engine that makes this team turn. Siakam provides the Pacers with a consistent and persistent downhill playmaking threat in both the half court and full court. Slowing down Siakam will be a pivotal factor in the Wizards’ success vs. Indiana and will ultimately be the key to victory. Washington will need Bilal Coulibaly and Kyshawn George to step up to the defensive challenge, allowing Alex Sarr to probe off the ball and defend the rim.