Charlotte Hornets (29-31) beat Indiana Pacers (15-45) 133-109 on the road on Thursday, February 26. The final margin was 24 points.
The game, quarter by quarter
The Pacers struck first, taking the opening quarter 34-31 and a 3-point lead after one. The Hornets moved in front with a 36-12 second quarter, carrying a 21-point lead into halftime.
The Hornets won the third 40-36 to create some separation, taking a 25-point lead into the fourth. The Pacers took the fourth 27-26; the Hornets held on for a 133-109 regulation win.
Why it was lopsided
The Hornets got more from their shots, finishing at 68.6% effective field-goal shooting compared with 53.4% for the Pacers. The Hornets grabbed 30.6% of their own misses, while the Pacers recovered 25.5%. That shooting gap supplied the clearest edge.
The Pacers did win one battle, ball security: TOV% of 12.5 against 16.1. The Hornets made up for it elsewhere.
At roughly 98 possessions per team, the Hornets produced 136.3 points per 100 possessions to 111.7 for the Pacers.
The Pacers' reserves also made a difference, outscoring the opposing bench 47-31.
Who stood out
Brandon Miller was the game's biggest individual force for CHA: 33 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast on 11-19 shooting. His Game Score of 25.6 led everyone. His team was +14 with him on the floor.
Moussa Diabate (14 pts, 11 reb, 4 ast) recorded a double-double.
What it means
The result fit the pre-game Win Meter, which gave the Hornets about a 72% chance.
Across the last 5 meetings in our records, Indiana Pacers lead 3-2.
The Hornets are now 29-31, and the Pacers are 15-45. The Hornets last five before this game: W-L-L-W-W.
Written automatically by Tip Off Live software from box score data. Ratings and probabilities are our own model estimates.