The first set of play in games have been played, building the bottom portion of the eastern conference playoff picture. The Indiana Pacers played host to the Charlotte Hornets followed by the Boston Celtics hosting the Washington Wizards.
Hornets vs. Pacers Highlights
The Pacers came out with more energy and the Hornets paid for it on defense. The Pacers played with more of a sense of urgency and this showed when they went up by 24 points at halftime. Oshae Brissett lead the Pacers with 23 points in a blow out where the Pacers never took their foot off the gas.
The loss leads to the Hornets being eliminated. Even though the Hornets lost, this year was a huge improvement for them. They hit a home run with Lamelo Ball, the projected rookie of the year and have a young core they can build around going into next season. They are 1 to 2 pieces away from being a serious threat in the post season.
Celtics vs. Wizards Highlights
This was the main event of the night. These 2 teams left it all on the court. Beal and Westbrook left it all on the court, but there isn’t much you can do when you let Jayson Tatum score 50 points. The Wizards are going to need someone else to step up and help Beal and Westbrook out. Those 2 guys aren’t going to be able to keep the team afloat without a 3rd contributor to lighten their load. With the win, The Celtics are the 7 seed in the east and will play The Nets in a best of 7 series.
The Wizards will host the Pacers on Thursday, where the winner will get the 8 seed a=in the east and the loser will be eliminated.
Halftime Fan Banter 