After two consecutive losses, the Charlotte Hornets reunited with victory in their duel against the Indiana Pacers. The game left a recital in attack by the team led by James Borrego, the visitors stormed Gainbridge Fieldhouse on points (158-126). They set several new records with this great victory.
The first quarter showed how the dominant trend would be in the match. Hornets and Pacers teams scored easily and both found favorable quarters. Those from Indiana finished with a slight advantage of 3 points. Meanwhile, Miles Bridges fueled the Hornets’ attack with 12 points and playing with a level of confidence and aggression notably higher than had been seen prior to the last two games.
The two attacks kept it hot in the second quarter. The Hornets, driven by Kelly Oubre’s three-pointers, managed to keep the distance from increasing and even got ahead at halftime (71-70). It was in the second half when the offensive recital reached its maximum level. A 15-2 run after passing through the changing rooms gave the visitors a comfortable lead. LaMelo Ball continued the good momentum with a 4-point play and the Pacers’ defense mentally disengaged from the game. The partial at the end of the second quarter was 42-24 and the torrent of offensive play had only just begun.
In the last quarter, LaMelo Ball, who finished the game with a new triple-double, took the reins of the team. In turn, Kelly Oubre executed triples without mercy, 5 in the last period, and distinguished himself as the game’s top scorer with 39 points. The Hornets’ 45 points in the final 12 minutes brought their score to 158, the most by any team in the league this season.
record night
The bulky victory left several internal recordswithin the Charlotte Hornets franchise:
- Most points in a half: 87 (in the 2nd half)
- Most points in a game without extra time: 158
- Most points by a player off the bench: 39 (Kelly Oubre)
- Most 3-pointers by a player off the bench: 10 (Kelly Oubre)
(Photograph by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
