Hornets fall to Pacers, who end franchise record 13-game losing streak

Just one night after one disappointing losses of the season behind a buzzer-beating Immanuel Quickley three, the Charlotte Hornets were back in action against an Indiana Pacers team who were losers of a franchise-record 13 straight.

For the first time since his rookie season, LaMelo Ball would be coming off the bench for the squad, with Collin Sexton getting the starting nod over the Hornets star.

The Hornets got off to a rough start, going down early to a Pacers team looking to get Head Coach Rick Carlisle his 1,000th career victory. The head coach on the other side, Charles Lee, kept up with the theme of last night, with the majority of the lineups he played having never shared the floor together.

While the Hornets' starters struggled out of the gates, their new sixth man did not.

In his first career game off the bench, LaMelo shone for the Hornets, recording 22 first-half points and single-handedly keeping his squad in the ballgame. He played just 13 minutes, but was a +9 despite the Hornets trailing headed into the half.

Lee's lineup experimentation continued into the second half, but for the first few minutes, the Pacers were able to grab a double-digit lead. When Ball checked back in, the momentum swung back in the direction of the Hornets, as he was able to pour in another 11 points to give the Hornets just a three-point deficit headed into the final frame.

Ball did not play the first few minutes of the quarter, but the Hornets were able to reclaim the lead for the first time since it was 4-2. When Ball checked back in at the 7:33 mark of the fourth quarter, the Hornets trailed by 4.

Leading by one with 25 seconds to play, Pacers star Pascal Siakam drove for a layup, and on the inbounds the ball was stolen by TJ McConnell.

After a missed Ben Sheppard free throw, the Hornets would get the ball with 8 seconds to play.

The Hornets had an inbounds play set up similarly to what Joe Mazzulla runs in Boston, and Collin Sexton had a great look to make the game-tying shot. Sexton missed, and the Hornets lost both nights of the back-to-back.

LaMelo Ball

Despite coming off the bench for the first time in five years, LaMelo poured in one of his best games all season during Thursday night's loss to the Pacers.

He finished with 33 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, hit 7 threes, and was a +19 on the night. While it was a disappointing loss, the Hornets' star excelled off the bench

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