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0 In a thrilling game on Monday night, the Charlotte Hornets secured their second straight win, beating the Indiana Pacers 111-102. Miles Bridges led the way for the Hornets with 20 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists. Since the arrival of five new players via trade, the team has been on a roll, improving to a 2-0 record. The newcomers, including Grant Williams, Seth Curry, Tre Mann, and Vasilije Micic, have added an offensive spark to the Hornets’ game and helped improve their overall performance.
Williams led the team with 21 points, Curry scored 18 off the bench, and Mann got the start and finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Micic added a calming influence on offense and helped spark Charlotte’s solid ball movement, which led to the team finishing with 27 assists in total.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford was full of praise for the team’s new arrivals, saying, “We’re more experienced and we’re much deeper, which, to be honest, is a big thing.” The addition of Williams has allowed the Hornets to play five out, which has opened up driving lanes for Bridges, Mann, and Micic. The Hornets were plus-14 with Williams on the court, who played 31 minutes.
The Pacers gave a tough fight, with Myles Turner scoring 22 points and Aaron Nesmith adding 21 for the team. Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 13 points and 12 rebounds while playing 34 minutes in the loss – his most action since returning from a hamstring injury. However, the Indiana locker room was eerily quiet after the game, the sign of a team that knew it allowed one to get away against one of the league’s worst. Charlotte is 12-41.
Despite the Pacers’ efforts, Charlotte held the NBA’s highest-scoring team to just 22 points over the final 12 minutes to secure back-to-back wins for only the second time this season. The Hornets have been plagued by injuries this season, but the fresh legs post-trade have provided a huge boost to the team. Williams has been a physical presence off the bench, while Mann and Micic have used their quickness off the dribble to create opportunities for their teammates.
Mann, in particular, is finally getting a chance to play after spending much of his time on the bench in Oklahoma City watching and learning from more experienced players. “There is a lot less pressure knowing I can play through mistakes,” Mann said.
Charlotte took an 81-80 lead into the fourth behind Curry, who swung the momentum when he knocked down a 3 and scored on a drive through traffic late in the third quarter. Charlotte kept attacking in the fourth, and Brandon Miller’s pull-up foul-line jumper gave the Hornets a 103-95 lead with 2:47 remaining. Bridges added a hammer dunk over Turner on Charlotte’s next possession, bringing the crowd to its feet. Williams had four free throws in the final minute to help put the game away.
Charlotte shot 53.7% from the field and its bench outscored the Pacers 44-18. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t pleased with his team’s approach or the rebounding margin – 46-32 in favor of Charlotte. “We talked a lot about their trades, how they played two nights ago,” Carlisle said in reference to Chicago’s 115-106 win over Memphis. “They’re clearly a team that’s energized, and we needed to match that, and we didn’t.”
In the end, the Hornets played a great game and deserved the win. With more games to come, fans can’t wait to see how the team will perform in the future.
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