Matchup
It has been a rough week for the Pacers, who have dropped three straight games to opponents with sub-.500 records. To right the ship, Indiana will have to win some games on the road.
The Blue & Gold (15-26) kick off a five-game road trip on Saturday night in Charlotte with a game against the Hornets (15-25). It is the second meeting between the two teams this season and the first since the Pacers won at the buzzer on Nov. 19 in Indianapolis.
Though the Pacers lost in the final seconds to Detroit, they actually played pretty well. Indiana's bench combined for 50 points and they held the Pistons, who shot over 54 percent against the Pacers in Detroit on Dec. 26, to just 38 percent shooting.
Unfortunately, an opposing point guard went off for the second straight game. Three days after Mo Williams exploded for 52 points against the Pacers, Pistons point guard Brandon Jennings scored 37, including 19 points in the third quarter. Indiana's defense against Jennings was actually pretty solid, he was just unconscious with his jump shot, making eight of his first nine attempts from 3-point range.
Charlotte also has a point guard more than capable of going off. Kemba Walker is averaging a career-high 19.2 points per game and he's been red hot lately. Walker has scored 28 or more points in each of his past six games. The Pacers caught a break on Saturday morning when the Hornets announced Walker will not play against Indiana due to soreness in his left knee.
The Hornets as a whole are playing some of their best basketball as of late. Charlotte won five straight games before falling on Wednesday night against San Antonio. They have managed to climb to within two games of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Hornets have struggled all year to integrate former Pacers guard Lance Stephenson into the lineup. Stephenson, who signed a four-year deal with Charlotte in July, missed 14 games with a pelvic sprain before returning to the lineup on Wednesday. Coming off the bench, Stephenson scored eight points on 3-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes against the Spurs.
Projected Starters
C.J. Watson
Rodney Stuckey
Solomon Hill
David West
Roy Hibbert
Brian Roberts
Gerald Henderson
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Cody Zeller
Bismack Biyombo
Pacers: PG - C.J. Watson, SG - Rodney Stuckey, SF - Solomon Hill, PF - David West, C - Roy Hibbert
Hornets: PG - Brian Roberts, SG - Gerald Henderson, SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, PF - Cody Zeller, C - Bismack Biyombo
Injury Report
Pacers: Paul George - out (rehabilitation, fractured right tibia/fibula), George Hill - out (left groin strain)
Hornets: Al Jefferson - out (left groin strain), Jannero Pargo - out (low back soreness), Gary Neal - questionable (right hamstring soreness), Kemba Walker - out (left knee inflammation)
Last Meeting
November 19, 2014: Solomon Hill tipped Rodney Stuckey's miss at the buzzer to lift the Pacers to an 88-86 over Charlotte.
Roy Hibbert led Indiana with 18 points and 11 rebounds. Luis Scola added 15 points and seven rebounds, while Donald Sloan finished with 11 points, nine boards, and three assists.
Al Jefferson led all scorers with 28 points on 12-of-22 rebounds. Kemba Walker added 12 points and seven assists for the Hornets. Lance Stephenson made just 4-of-12 shots in his return to The Fieldhouse, but finished with 10 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers have won six of their last seven games against the Hornets. They have won 15 of 17 regular season games over Charlotte dating back to the 2009-10 season.
- Indiana leads the overall series with the Hornets 58-35, but is just 20-25 all-time in Charlotte.
- Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey needs 13 assists to reach 2,000 for his career.
- Though they are 2-10 on the first night of a back-to-back, the Pacers have done slightly better on the second night, going 4-7 on such occasions so far this season.
Broadcast Information
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 107.5/1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)