- Charlotte Hornets (7-10) vs. Indiana Pacers (10-7)
- Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2021 at 7 PM EST (Spectrum Center)
- Fox Sports Southeast, FOX Sports GO App and WFNZ 610 AM or 102.5 FM
- Last time out: Pacers won, 119-80, on Feb. 25, 2020 in Indianapolis
Charlotte Looking to Shake Dry Spell From 3-Point Range
Over the last three games, Charlotte has struggled to connect from long distance, knocking down an average of just 10.7 three-pointers on a 30% clip. Some good news though is that through Jan. 25, Indiana’s opponents ranked second in the NBA in three-point percentage (39.5%), although were averaging the sixth-fewest such attempts per contest (32.3). Particularly with how the Hornets are currently balancing protecting the paint versus the three-point line on the defensive end, connecting on more shots from beyond the arc is becoming critical in keeping pace offensively with other teams.
Indiana Adjusting to Life After Victor Oladipo
Flying under the radar of the James Harden-to-Brooklyn megadeal two weeks ago was the Pacers landing Caris LeVert in the same transaction in exchange for former All-Star Victor Oladipo. LeVert has yet to suit up for his new squad after a post-trade physical found a small cancerous mass on his left kidney, sidelining the fifth-year combo guard indefinitely. The Pacers have gone 3-3 since the deal, with six players – Malcolm Brogdon (scored a career-high 36 points against Toronto on Monday night), Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, Jeremy Lamb, Doug McDermott and Justin Holiday – all averaging double figures across this particular stretch.
Pacers Continuing to Prioritize Paint Play
Indiana enters tonight’s game sitting second in the NBA in paint points per game (54.1) and has the seventh-ranked individual player in this category as well with All-Star forward Sabonis (13.6). The Hornets though have made significant strides in this particular area and are currently allowing the 11th-fewest paint points per outing (45.9) after finishing 23rd last season (50.5). The Pacers have established a well-deserved reputation in recent years for playing a physical, old-school style of basketball and even with new Head Coach Nate Bjorkgren now in the fold, generating offense around the rim is still the team’s go-to bread and butter.
Preview Quote
“We’re committing to a certain area. Our number one priority is protecting the paint. We’ve tried to do a little bit of both (protecting the paint and three-point line) the last two seasons and we’ve done neither well. We have to do at least one thing well and I think we’ve done a pretty good job of protecting the paint. We’ve been a top-10 defense all season to this point. We’ll continue to live in that area. Some nights, teams will make shots against you and they’re going to win games and that’s the NBA.” – Coach Borrego after Monday’s loss in Orlando
Final Thoughts
After rolling off a four-game winning streak earlier this month, the Hornets have now dropped five of their last six games heading into consecutive matchups against a talented Pacers squad this week. Look for Charlotte to continue increasing Cody Zeller’s workload with two-way play around the basket likely playing a significant role in the outcome of this one.
Additional Notes
F TJ Warren (left foot stress fracture) is also out for Indiana. Sabonis (left knee contusion) exited Monday night’s home game against Toronto and did not return… The Hornets have lost three straight and five of the last six head-to-head meetings with Indiana (only win: 122-120 at home, in overtime on Nov. 5, 2019)… These teams will meet again on Friday, Jan. 29 in Charlotte.