With a clutch layup in the closing seconds, Pascal Siakam towed the Pacers past the Hornets, ending a 13-game slide and giving head coach Rick Carlisle a personal milestone to celebrate.
Pascal Siakam delivered in the clutch, head coach Rick Carlisle hit a historic milestone, and the Indiana Pacers finally exhaled.
Siakam drilled a clutch layup with 11.9 seconds remaining, lifting Indiana to a thrilling 114-112 road escape over the Hornets to finally end a brutal 13-game losing streak on Friday, January 9 (PH time), snapping a 13-game losing streak.
The win also marked head coach Rick Carlisle’s 1,000th career regular-season victory, making him the 11th coach in NBA history to reach the milestone.
Trailing 111-112, Siakam drove past his defender and converted a tough layup to give the Pacers the lead at 113-112.
After Ben Sheppard split a pair of free throws to extend Indiana’s cushion to 114-112, Charlotte had a final chance, but Collin Sexton’s game-tying jumper fell short, sealing the Pacers’ victory.
Siakam finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds, while McConnell added 23 points and eight assists off the bench as Indiana improved to 7-31.
LaMelo Ball came off the bench for the first time in four years, scoring a game-high 33 points for Charlotte in a losing effort.
Indiana now kicks off a four-game homestand against the Miami Heat (20-17), while Charlotte heads west to face the Utah Jazz (12-24).
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.