Trevor Ariza was perfect from long range.The Washington Wizards had lost eight straight Game 1s before this postseason. They were 4-23 in their previous 27 playoff road games. And they had lost 12 straight road games to the Indiana Pacers.
Starting Five Comparison - Game One
Those two are no more. And they’re now 4-0 on the road in this season’s playoffs after beating the Indiana Pacers in Game 1.
It was the first win in a conference semifinals for the Wizards since a 1982 win against the Boston Celtics.
Difference-Makers: Trevor Ariza and Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal finished with 25 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and five steals. He was the first player to post those numbers in a playoff game since Baron Davis in 2002.
Beal joined Derrick Rose, Tony Parker and Magic Johnson as only players age 20 or younger to have multiple 25-point games in wins in a single postseason.
Trevor Ariza scored 22 points and was 6 for 6 from three-point range, tying the Wizards' record for 3-pointers in a playoff game (a mark he already shared with Gilbert Arenas after making six in a game in the first round against the Bulls).
The Elias Sports Bureau noted that he was only the third player in postseason history to finish a playoff game perfect from three-point range, and with at least six attempts. The other two are Robert Horry (who holds the record with seven) and Peja Stojakovic (who also had six).
Ariza also did it on the defensive end, as he held Pacers players to 1 of 11 from the floor as the primary defender, including holding Paul George to three points on 1 of 8 shooting.
Hibbert a non-factor
Pacers center Roy Hibbert became the first starter to have no points, no rebounds and at least five fouls in a playoff game since Andrew Lang of the 1992 Phoenix Suns (against the Portland Trail Blazers).
It was Hibbert’s third scoreless game this postseason. Indiana shot 28 percent with him on the court and 46 percent with him off the court.
Hibbert was -17 Tuesday, the worst of any Pacers player.
The Pacers were 10-of-29 for 20 points in the paint Monday, their fewest paint points in a game this season.