Wizards' magic doesn't work in season opener as they were spell bound by Pacers 143-120

The new-look Wizards hit the road for game one in Indiana as they faced off against the young, confident Pacers. The Pacers were led by their young, emerging star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who finished inside the top 10 last year in assists and was selected for his first all-star game. Washington came into their season opener with a very talented young prospect of their own, former Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole, who was acquired in a multiple-team trade that included former three-time All-Star Bradley Beal.

The Wizards will most likely be looking to rebuild, but they will still heavily depend on Jordan Poole and vastly improving forward Kyle Kuzma, who averaged a career high in points last season with 21 points per game. The game began fast as both teams combined for 73 first quarter points, and the Wizards ended the quarter up five. Throughout the game, both teams seemed to struggle to stop each other, but the pacers came up with more stops in key possessions. The Pacers all-star guard Haliburton continued his success from last season as he racked up 20 points and 11 assists and led his team to victory.

Washington’s offense looked decent, but they definitely will be looking to see improvement from Poole, as he went 0-3 from deep and only scored 18 points in his Wizards debut. One positive takeaway from the loss was Kyle Kuzma’s performance, as he led the team with 25 points and shot 50 percent from the field. Washington will fly back home and prepare for their home debut against the tough and rugged Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. As this season goes along, the Wizards will continue to develop their young players and look forward to their potentially bright future.