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Basketball is a popular sport in the United States, and people from all over the country drop everything to enjoy the game. The last game between the Indiana Pacers and the Washington Wizards was a big one, as the winner would find their place in the NBA playoffs. Fans from both sides were rooting for their teams.
However, in the end, the Washington Wizards triumphed over the Indiana Pacers with a lead of 142 – 115. This was a memorable win for the Wizards especially considering they had lost to the Boston Celtics 118 to 100 during their first Easter Conference play-in.
This match was the last chance for the Washington Wizards to reach the postseason, and they took that chance in style as Bradley Beal scored 25 points to win the game for the Wizards. Following this win, the Wizards secured the eighth seed and now have to face the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs.
In the second quarter of the game, Russell Westbrook with Beal managed to take the lead 16 to none and finished the quarter with 18 points and 15 assists. This is the first postseason berth for the Washington Wizards since 2017- 18. It wasn’t the best day for the Indiana Pacers, especially for Malcolm Brogdon, who scored 24 points but still had to see his team lost their streak of five playoff appearances come to an end.
The play-in tournament helps determine which team takes the seventh and eight-seeded positions in the conferences for the playoffs. NBA made another announcement on Thursday when they revealed the three finalists for the most valuable player award for the regular season of 2020-21.
The three players are Stephen Curry from the Washington Warriors and two-time MVP; then we have Joel Embiid from the 76ers and the Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets. The coach of the year will be decided between Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns, Tom Thibodeau of the New York Knicks, and Quin Snyder of the Utah Jazz.
The finalists for the awards are based on voting from sportswriters and broadcasters from around the world. The winner will be announced during the playoffs. Basketball is a fan favorite sport in the United States, and people watch every game hoping to see their specific team on the top of the season.
However, the Washington Wizards should stop celebrating this win as soon as possible and start preparing for the next game. Basketball can be a brutal game, as the last victory will not affect the next game.
If teams want to keep their winning streak going, they will have to focus on their strengths and study the opponent’s weaknesses to exploit them during the match. Let’s hope that the Washington Wizards can take the same enthusiasm and mindset in the next game and see it through to victory.
