George Hill Leads Pacers in Must-Win Game vs Wizards (VIDEO)

The eighth-seeded Indiana Pacers had no choice but to win Tuesday night against the visiting Washington Wizards, and their 99-95 double-overtime victory only releases some of the pressure on the last day of the NBA regular season.

George Hill led the way for the Pacers, falling just one rebound shy of a triple-double (24 points, 10 assists, 9 boards.)

To hold on to the last Playoff seed in the Eastern Conference, Indiana has to beat Memphis tonight or the Brooklyn Nets must lose to the Orlando Magic.

Per the Indy Star:

Before switching their attention to Memphis on Wednesday, however, the Pacers, desperate for a win, sacrificed plenty against the Wizards. […] “We just had to do what we had to do,” David West said. “We’re fighting for our lives.”

 

In the first overtime, the Pacers turned Paul George loose for longer than his expected 15-minute limit of (playing time). It was a high-risk gamble coach Frank Vogel had to take, but it paid off when George hit the pull-up, tying jump shot with 22.4 seconds remaining. […] By the second overtime, with George back on the bench, Pacers turned to George Hill. While frequently grimacing in pain, Hill had five points in the frame, including a 3-pointer with less than 23 seconds to play. In a gutsy game, Hill played 48 minutes and finished with 24 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

 

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” Vogel said. “They just persevered through it all.”