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The Pacers should expect to face a different Wizards team on Friday night in D.C. compared to the team they beat twice at the Fieldhouse earlier in the season.
In the two prior meetings, the Pacers held the Wiz to 139 points combined in both games, delivering two of the more lethal performances of the year. The Wiz were short-handed in first game in November, missing Nene and Bradley Beal but had everyone on board for the second meeting in January.
The Pacers simply bullied their way past the Wizards in both games until eventually Washington eventually rolled over. The Wizards have found a groove though since that time to work their way past .500 before a recent 1-4 stretch that appears to be testing their readiness to take their game as a team to a playoff-ready level.
Nene has been out for a month with a knee strain which gives the Pacers an advantage in the front court assuming Roy Hibbert has no lingering problems from getting knocked on out Wednesday. The Pacers back court is still thin without C.J. Watson who is tending to a tender hammy.
For more on the Wizards, check out Bullets Forever. Also, leave your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.