Last Updated: Nov. 6 at 5:15 PM
Matchup
Will the fourth time be the charm for the Pacers? Indiana (3-3) heads to Charlotte on Monday night looking for its first road win of the season. It won't be easy, as the Hornets (4-1) are off to a stellar start to the 2016-17 campaign.
The Pacers are coming off of their most complete performance of the year, a 111-94 drubbing of the Bulls on Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. For one night at least, the Blue & Gold shored up defensive issues that had plagued them through their first five games, holding Chicago to 43 percent shooting and forcing the Bulls into 18 turnovers.
50th SEASON CELEBRATION: Complete Coverage at Pacers.com/50 »
Now, they'll head out onto the road, where they've lost by an average margin of 14.7 points in three contests so far this season.
"It's easy to play at home when you've got your 15 guys on the bench and everybody in the building rooting for you," Pacers forward C.J. Miles said. "When you go on the road, it's just your 15 guys. So we've got to make sure that from the bench that we're into the game, talking to everybody on the floor so everybody gets after it."
The Hornets have won four of five games to open the season. Head coach Steve Clifford always puts together a strong defensive unit and this year's team is no exception. With wings Nicolas Batum and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist harassing players on the perimeter, the Hornets rank third in the league in defensive efficiency, allowing just 94.1 points per 100 possessions according to NBA.com/Stats.
Offensively, stopping point guard Kemba Walker will have to be the Pacers' main focus. Last season, he averaged 26.7 points and 7.7 assists in three wins over the Pacers. This year, the 6-foot guard is averaging 24.4 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.
The Pacers have had problems containing fast point guards in the early part of the season, particularly in the pick-and-roll. Communication will be key to keep Walker out of the lane.
Projected Starters
Jeff Teague
Monta Ellis
Paul George
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Kemba Walker
Nicolas Batum
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Marvin Williams
Cody Zeller
Pacers: PG - Jeff Teague, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Hornets: PG - Kemba Walker, SG - Nicolas Batum, SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, PF - Marvin Williams, C - Cody Zeller
Injury Report
Pacers: Rodney Stuckey - out (right hamstring strain)
Hornets: Roy Hibbert - out (right knee soreness), Jeremy Lamb - out (left hamstring strain), Marvin Williams - questionable (viral infection)
Last Meeting
March 4, 2016: The Hornets pulled away late for a 108-101 win in Charlotte, their third win over the Pacers in a month.
Paul George put together a stellar effort in the loss, finishing with 35 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists. Monta Ellis had 15 points, while Ian Mahinmi recorded a double-double with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
But the Pacers couldn't contain the duo of Kemba Walker and Nicolas Batum. Walker scored 33 points and dished out 10 assists, while Batum added 31 points and seven rebounds. Al Jefferson chipped in 13 points off the bench on 6-of-10 shooting.
Noteworthy
- The Hornets swept the regular season series with the Pacers for the first time in the history of the Indiana-Charlotte series last season, winning all three games, including two at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
- The Pacers have lost three of their last four road contests in Charlotte.
- Pacers center Al Jefferson spent the last three seasons in Charlotte, where he averaged 17.5 points and 8.9 rebounds over 185 games (152 starts).
- Former Pacers All-Star Roy Hibbert signed with the Hornets over the summer. Hibbert had 15 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in a season-opening win over Milwaukee, but injured his knee early into the Hornets' second game and hasn't played since.
Tickets
The Pacers return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Nov. 9 to host the Philadelphia 76ers. Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Away Game Night Special
Select Short Sleeve T-Shirt - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »