Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell dribbles the ball while Washington Wizards forward Justin Champagnie defends Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Five questions ahead of Wizards vs. Pacers

Originally posted on Indianapolis Pacers on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 13, 2025 8:00 AM ET

The Indiana Pacers are gearing up for their next matchup as they take on the Washington Wizards at home.

With the Sunday matinee game approaching, we spoke with Washington Wizards On SI contributor Henry Brown to learn more about the team.

What has been the best part of the Wizards season?

The best parts of the Wizards season have been found in the sequences where the prized prospects unite for productive basketball. CJ McCollum's usual 20 points per game are helpful, but there's been something inspiring about seeing Alex Sarr's rim protection, Bilal Coulibaly's athletic impact on both ends of the court and Kyshawn George's attempts at stepping into a premier scoring role.

Those moments have been few and far between recently, though, with injuries particularly sidelining the Frenchmen.

Who is a draft prospect that could fall in the Wizards and Pacers range that intrigues you?

Preparing to pick lower than your intended position is something Wizards and Pacers fans can each relate to, but unlike Indiana, Washington could really use a point guard.

Mikel Brown is gaining steam as one of the best players outside of the unanimous top-three, and should DC's management determine that he's the best player available between what he offers as a passer and rim-pressurer, he'd be a fine fit with the Wizards' platoon of complementary pieces.

Who is the X-Factor for the Wizards?

The Wizards' X-factors can be found in their various injured players, but Tre Johnson's upcoming return could signal a necessary spark for Washington.

He's been one of the most automatic shooters of anyone in his rookie class, and minutes are more readily available to him than they were when he last saw the floor. Several of his back court cohorts have been assigned to the G League or yanked from the starting lineup, and they could use another spacer while awaiting Corey Kispert's comeback.

What do the Wizards need to do to win against the Pacers?

The Wizards' perimeter defenders need to keep Sarr from doing all the work on defense. The Pacers have won four of their last six due to their variety of athletic slashers, and they'll have to keep bodies glued to Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin to enable the low man to stay put and keep the other potential helpers from collapsing.

What's your prediction for the game?

I'm predicting that the Pacers do what they've been doing in crushing lower-seeded opponents, but this one should be less ugly than the last matchup between these two. I have the Pacers winning in a more competitive outing from the Wizards, 124-110.