PREVIEW: The Washington Wizards will host the Indiana Pacers, with the visitors ranked first in limiting three-point attempts on defense while the home team excels with efficient transition basketball. Washington continues to struggle at home with a 2-6 straight-up record, creating a challenging scenario for a squad desperate to turn things around in front of their own fans. Indiana arrives undefeated on the road, winning all eight away games and covering the spread in seven of those contests. However, the Pacers have significant defensive vulnerabilities, allowing high-frequency midrange looks and ranking near the bottom in rim protection. The Wizards' offensive approach relies heavily on attacking the midrange with high frequency while their defensive rebounding ranks second among NBA teams, though they struggle defending the three-ball and allowing drives to the rim. Washington will be without several rotation players including Saddiq Bey, Malcolm Brogdon, Corey Kispert, and Bilal Coulibaly, while Kyshawn George is dealing with an ankle injury. The Pacers lost a heartbreaker to the Los Angeles Lakers last night by just one point, while the Wizards topped the Philadelphia 76ers in their most recent outing. Indiana's perfect road record paired with elite away performance suggests they outperform oddsmakers' expectations away from home, creating a sharp angle against a vulnerable Wizards squad.