Paul George‘s 39 points led the Indiana Pacers past the Charlotte Hornets who continue to struggle and fall further out of the playoff race.
The Charlotte Hornets (29-39) were defeated by the Indiana Pacers (35-33) as they looked completely unorganized and uninterested in the second half. Paul George was great. Kemba Walker and company were not. The Hornets were flat and their lack of scoring from the outside coupled with their poor defense led to their eventual downfall.
Charlotte came into this one shorthanded as Nicolas Batum missed his second consecutive game with a migraine. Fortunately, his CT scans came back negative and he should be okay going forward. Ramon Sessions (knee surgery), Miles Plumlee (calf strain) and Johnny O’Bryant (ankle sprain) all continued their extended absences in this one.
Game Story and Turning Point
The first half was competitive and the two sides were even tied at 42 entering halftime. Unfortunately for Charlotte, their defense fell apart in the second half while Indiana’s offense caught fire. The Pacers outscored the Hornets 33-16 in the third quarter and they never looked back. The home side even pushed their lead to 25 at one point in the fourth period. What looked to be a competitive game turned into a blowout in the second half when Steve Clifford’s side couldn’t keep pace with Indiana scoring wise.
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Who Stepped Up and Who Disappointed
In his second game back from a shoulder injury, Frank Kaminsky was the best player in a Hornets’ uniform on the night. He finished with 20 points and four rebounds. Marco Belinelli added 11 points off of the bench while Michael Kidd-Gilchrist led all starters with 10 points.
Kemba Walker had one of his poorest performances of the season as he only finished with seven points on 3-11 shooting. No other starter played particularly well as the starting five combined to score only 36 points. Briante Weber was a bright spot off of the bench as he scored a season-high eight points in 19 minutes.
The Pacers were led by Paul George who scored a season-high 39 points to lead all scorers. Monta Ellis chipped in 16 points as they were the only two double-figure scorers for Indiana. Former Charlotte player, Al Jefferson, didn’t play because of a coach’s decision.
Play of the Game:
Tweet of the Game:
Tough to watch Kemba, MKG, Marvin and Cody leaving it all on the floor and know the season is over. This season wore on Clifford #Hornets.
— SportsFromMyEyes (@JustinThomasNBA) March 16, 2017
"Quick Stings"
- Briante Weber has seemingly taken over the backup point guard role from Brian Roberts.
- Charlotte shot (3-23) 13% from the three-point line.
- The Pacers out-rebounded the Hornets 42-30 in this one.
- Charlotte gave up 56 points in the second half compared to only 42 in the first.
- This was the Hornets lowest scoring game of the season.
With the loss, the Hornets and the Pacers end their season series tied with two wins apiece. After sweeping their three-game series last year, Charlotte struggled against Indiana this time around. Each side won both of their home games against the other.
Next: Analyzing the Hornets' Defensive Woes
In their next outing, the Charlotte Hornets will return home to host the Washington Wizards. That will be their third matchup of the season and the final one in The Queen City. Steve Clifford’s side will look to snap their three-game losing streak. Luckily for them, they will have a few days to rest before taking on John Wall and Bradley Beal.