The Indiana Pacers aren't letting injuries slow them down. The Washington Wizards wish they could say the same.
The Pacers try to extend a nine-game home winning streak over the Wizards as the two teams meet on Wednesday night.
Indiana has been without one of its top players in forward Danny Granger all season due to a left knee injury, but still finds itself atop the Central Division.
The Pacers have won eight of their last 10 overall and bested the Memphis Grizzlies, 88-83, on Monday despite George Hill sitting out the game due to a strained right groin.
Paul George had 21 points, six rebounds and five assists, while D.J. Augustin added 17 points and six assists in his first start of the season in place of Hill, who is questionable for Wednesday.
"It felt good," Augustin noted of his performance. "I was able to get a rhythm, feel comfortable and let shots come to me."
David West added 13 points and nine rebounds in the Pacers' fifth straight victory at home.
"I thought we got a lot more aggressive in the fourth quarter," West said. "We made it so they had to score with two or three guys at a time, then we made defensive plays."
While the Pacers are fighting on, the Wizards are an NBA-worst 4-25 on the season, one that began with them dropping their first 12 games.
Two of those setbacks came versus the Pacers, who won at home 89-85 on Nov. 10 before notching a 96-89 triumph in Washington nine days later.
The Pacers have won eight straight over the Wizards overall and haven't lost at home to the club since April 18, 2007.
Washington lost for the 10th time in its last 11 games on Tuesday, getting bested by the Dallas Mavericks 103-94 despite building a 14-point lead in the second quarter.
"They outscored us, and we couldn't get stops on defense," Washington's Bradley Beal said. "They came out strong in the second half and took the game to us."
Beal matched a career high with 22 points, while Emeka Okafor had 14 and 11 rebounds in the Wizards' fifth straight road loss. They are a mere 1-13 as the guest this season.
While leading scorer Jordan Crawford returned to action and had nine points after missing one game due to an ankle injury, the Wizards remain without star guard John Wall as well as guard A.J. Price and forwards Trevor Ariza and Trevor Booker.