Tyrese Haliburton recorded 22 points and 10 assists as the Indiana Pacers secured a 119-105 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
Indiana (45-31) remained in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, improving its chances of securing home-court advantage in the first round. Aaron Nesmith contributed 16 points, while Pascal Siakam added 15 on his 31st birthday. Myles Turner also posted 15 points and nine rebounds.
The Pacers have won eight of their last ten games. They had already clinched a postseason berth Tuesday after the Atlanta Hawks lost to the Portland Trail Blazers.
Charlotte (19-57) struggled despite an 18-point effort from Miles Bridges. Mark Williams and Seth Curry each finished with 16 points, with Williams adding 12 rebounds. The Hornets have dropped six of their last seven games.
Indiana took control early, hitting seven three-pointers in the first quarter to establish a lead. Charlotte managed to cut the deficit to four points midway through the second quarter before the Pacers responded with a run to push the lead back to double digits.
The Hornets mounted another comeback in the third quarter, trimming the gap to just one point at 68-67. However, Indiana answered with a 19-6 surge to end the quarter, putting the game out of reach.
Charlotte’s struggles were compounded by 18 turnovers, compared to just six for Indiana. The Pacers capitalized by outscoring the Hornets 29-4 in points off turnovers.
Siakam and Turner provided steady contributions, while Nesmith’s perimeter shooting helped space the floor for Haliburton’s playmaking. Off the bench, Thomas Bryant chipped in 13 points, and Jarace Walker added 10.
For Charlotte, Bridges led the offense, but the absence of key players, including LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, made it difficult for the team to sustain runs. The Hornets had won the first two meetings against Indiana earlier in the season, but this matchup had a different outcome.
The Pacers continue their push for home-court advantage with just a few games remaining.
