The Washington Wizards dismantled the Indiana Pacers 102-79 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals Tuesday night. Indiana now holds a 3-2 series lead.
On a night when the Pacers offense collapsed to the tune of 39 percent shooting from the field, the Wizards stayed alive thanks to a sensational effort from center Marcin Gortat.
In 36 minutes, Gortat recorded 31 points and 16 rebounds while the Wizards out-rebounded the Pacers by a staggering 62-23 margin. Washington also finished with an 18-4 advantage on the offensive glass.
"If we play our way, we can beat these guys," Wizards head coach Randy Wittman said following the win, according to the Indianapolis Star's Zak Keefer. "We don't want this to end."
John Wall was also superb with the Wizards' season on the line, totaling 27 points (11-of-20 shooting, 3-of-6 from three), five assists and five rebounds.
As a team, the Wizards shot 50 percent from the field and 27.8 percent (5-of-18) from beyond the arc.
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Article written by Alec Nathan