Pacers snap 4-game losing streaking, routing Hornets 144-113 behind 61% shooting

Dec 21, 2023, 03:09 am

INDIANAPOLIS -- — Buddy Hield scored 25 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 13 assists and the Indiana Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak, routing the Charlotte Hornets 144-113 on Wednesday night behind 61% shooting.

“Our offense looked better,” Haliburton said. “We got a lot of good looks. I thought we went back to the basics on a lot of stuff (in practice), and it helped. A good win for us. Just figured out a way to win.”

The Pacers made 28 of 30 free throws and led by 33. Aaron Nesmith added 19 points, Myles Turner had 18, Bennedict Mathurin 14 and Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson 10 apiece. T.J. McConnell had nine points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Terry Rozier had 25 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Charlotte, and rookie Brandon Miller added 21 points and six rebounds. The Hornets shot 47% from the field, making only eight 3-pointers to the Pacers’ 18.

“It just gets frustrating when they’re scoring like that,” Charlotte coach Steve Clifford said. “We don’t have a lot of room for error. Our guys know that. Weak fouls, second-chance points, not getting matched up. It takes its toll.”

Playing without starting point guard LaMelo Ball and center Mark Williams, the Hornets dropped their sixth in a row to fall to 7-19. Ball, averaging 24.7 points, 8.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds, missed his 11th straight game because of a sprained right ankle. Williams, averaging 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds, sat out his sixth in a row due to a back contusion.

Indiana led 31-29 at the end of the first quarter, 71-60 at halftime and 107-86 entering the final period. Charlotte never led by more than two.

“Winning cures a lot,” Hield said. “Everybody’s relieved. Coming off the high of the in-season tournament, we rode the storm (out). (Thursday night at Memphis) we have another storm to weather. Ja Morant is back.”

UP NEXT

Hornets: Host Denver on Saturday night.

Pacers: At Memphis on Thursday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Buddy Hield scored 25 points, Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points and 13 assists and the Indiana Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak, routing the Charlotte Hornets 144-113 on Wednesday night behind 61% shooting.

The Pacers made 28 of 30 free throws and led by 33. Aaron Nesmith added 19 points, Myles Turner had 18, Bennedict Mathurin 14 and Jalen Smith and Isaiah Jackson 10 apiece. T.J. McConnell had nine points, nine assists and five rebounds.

Terry Rozier had 25 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for Charlotte, and rookie Brandon Miller added 21 points and six rebounds. The Hornets shot 47% from the field, making only eight 3-pointers to the Pacers’ 18.

Playing without starting point guard LaMelo Ball and center Mark Williams, the Hornets dropped their sixth in a row to fall to 7-19. Ball, averaging 24.7 points, 8.2 assists and 5.5 rebounds, missed his 11th straight game because of a sprained right ankle. Williams, averaging 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds, sat out his sixth in a row due to a back contusion.

Indiana led 31-29 at the end of the first quarter, 71-60 at halftime and 107-86 entering the final period. Charlotte never led by more than two.

UP NEXT

Hornets: Host Denver on Saturday night.

Pacers: At Memphis on Thursday night.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba