Hornets Battle Back Late, But the Losing Streak Grows to Four
The Hornets fell 127–118 to the Pacers on Wednesday night, dropping their fourth straight game in a frustrating stretch. Charlotte showed some real life in the fourth quarter, putting together a strong run and fighting their way back into it. However, Indiana’s hot shooting all night long, 54% from the field and 42% from deep, was just too much to overcome. Kon Knueppel led the way for Charlotte with 28 points, and Miles Bridges chipped in 25. Even with the late surge, the early defensive struggles made the comeback feel like an uphill climb.
Kon Knueppel continued his incredible rookie season by making history in this one. With his five-made threes, he officially reached 50 career triples in just 15 games, becoming the fastest player in NBA history to get there. Even with a rough shooting night, LaMelo Ball added 18 points and nine assists as he tried to steady the offense throughout the night. The Hornets showed toughness in the fourth but couldn’t string together enough stops to swing the game. Indiana kept answering every run, which made it tough for Charlotte to gain real momentum.
For the Pacers, Bennedict Mathurin led the scoring with 24 points and 12 rebounds, looking comfortable all night. Pascal Siakam followed with 22 points and seven assists as he continued to be a steady force for Indiana’s offense. Jay Huff gave the Pacers a huge spark off the bench with 20 points, and veteran guard T.J. McConnell made an immediate impact as well, coming in and not missing a single shot while putting up 14 points and eight assists in just 14 minutes. Indiana snapped its eight-game losing streak with the win, fueled by their balance and efficiency. Their ability to get production from multiple guys made the difference.
Charlotte will now look to regroup back home as they get ready for a Saturday afternoon meeting with James Harden and the Clippers. This marks their fourth straight loss, coming against a team that entered the night with the NBA’s worst record, adding to the frustration. The Hornets showed some encouraging moments offensively, but fixing the defensive issues will be key moving forward. Meanwhile, the Pacers will try to build on this momentum Friday night when they travel to Cleveland to face Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers. Both teams will head into the weekend hoping to build on what went well and clean up the things that held them back.
