Wizards top Pacers to stay alive

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

The Wizards were tired of getting shoved around in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

So on Tuesday night, Marcin Gortat and his teammates pushed back hard.

Gortat delivered the best playoff game of his career, 31 points and 16 rebounds, and John Wall scored a playoff-best 27 points as Washington routed the Indiana Pacers 102-79 to cut the Eastern Conference semifinals deficit to 3-2.

“We don’t have anything to lose now,” Gortat said. “We play desperate. At the end of the day, we might lose. We have to play every minute of every game like it’s the last one of the season.”

The Wizards made a stunning turnaround after losing three straight, two on their home court in incredibly demoralizing fashion. Washington scored a franchise-low 63 points in Game 3 and then blew a 19-point, second-half lead in Game 4.

Washington refused to let it happen again this time, earning a trip home for Game 6 on Thursday.

The difference was obvious.

Wall broke free, Gortat dominated the middle and the motivated Wizards were simply overwhelming inside with a 62-23 rebounding edge.

Gortat produced more points and rebounds in 36 minutes than he had in the previous two games combined (six points and 13 rebounds). He was 13 of 15 from the field, 5 of 7 from the free-throw line, tied his career-best point total and finished with playoff career bests for points and rebounds.

“I was a decoy in Game 3 and Game 4,” the 30-year-old Polish native said. “[Tuesday] was the time for me to perform. At some point in the second half, it was just fun to be in the game.”