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After a loss to the Boston Celtics put the Washington Wizards in a win-or-go home situation against the Indiana Pacers, Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal stepped up for the home team.
The guards each added another signature elimination game performance to their resume in a win over the Pacers. Westbrook tallied 18 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds while Beal added 25 points, four assists and five boards. Rui Hachimura contributed 18 points as the Wizards jumped out to a big lead after outscoring the Pacers 48-31 in the third quarter and never looked back. Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points to lead Indiana.
The Wizards easily covered the -3.5 spread and provided enough offense to destroy the over/under of 232.5. A large portion of bettors took Washington to win the game. Westbrook and Beal did not pay off on their respective player parlays despite their strong performances.
The East playoff field is officially set after Washington’s win. The Wizards will now face the No. 1 seed Philadelphia 76ers in the first round, starting with Game 1 Sunday at 1 PM ET. The 76ers are looking to bounce back after getting swept by the Boston Celtics in last year’s Orlando bubble. The Wizards are back in the playoffs after a two-year gap.