Pacers decimate Hornets in play-in
Domantas Sabonis had 14 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists, and the shorthanded Indiana Pacers routed the Charlotte Hornets 144-117 in the Eastern Conference’s first play-in game Tuesday night.
Led by Sabonis and Doug McDermott, who scored 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter, the ninth-seeded Pacers snapped a fran- chise-worst nine-game losing streak in the postseason. They also moved within one victory of making a sixth consecutive playoff appearance.
Indiana will visit the loser of Tuesday’s other play-in game, No. 7 Boston against No. 8 Washington, on Thursday.
It was Indiana’s first postseason win since a blowout victory against Cleveland in April 2018. And the Pacers won this one despite losing forward Caris LeVert to the league’s health and safety protocol.
Charlotte was led by Miles Bridges with 18 points and former Indiana University star Cody Zeller with 17. The Hornets finished the season with six straight losses.
The difference: Indiana’s playoff experience, which showed right from the start.
With McDermott leading the charge, Indiana started 7 of 11 from 3-point range, continually beat the Hornets to loose balls and stayed in front of Charlotte on defense.
Indiana pulled out to a 23-9 lead, and then extended the margin 40-24 after one, 69-45 at halftime and 76-45 early in the third quarter. The Hornets were never close after the opening minutes.
The Pacers finished 16 of 35 on 3s and shot 55.2% from the field overall. WALTON WILL RETURN TO KINGS >> Sacramento Kings general manager Monte McNair informed coach Luke Walton he will be back for a third season in Sacramento, according to a report in the Sacramento Bee.
Former Kings general manager Vlade Divac hired Walton to replace Dave Joerger in April 2019. Walton’s job security has been the subject of speculation since McNair was brought in to replace Divac in September, but Walton has maintained strong working relationships with players and the team’s new front office.
Walton, 41, compiled a 62-82 (.431) record over his first two seasons in Sacramento, posting the highest winning percentage of any Kings coach since Rick Adelman was fired in 2006. He has two years and $11.5 million remaining on his contract.
PACERS’ TURNER IS KING OF BLOCKS >> Upon further review, Indiana’s Myles Turner is the NBA’s blockedshot champion for this season.
The NBA said Tuesday that Turner will be recognized as the winner in that category, even though he did not play in the required 70% of games that are typically needed for someone to qualify as a statistical leader.
Turner averaged 3.4 blocks per game in 47 games. Utah’s Rudy Gobert averaged 2.7 blocks per game in 71 games.
By NBA rule, Turner would have needed to appear in 51 games to qualify for the award, so he fell four games short. VANTERPOOL, GATES OUT IN MINNESOTA >> Associate head coach David Vanterpool and assistant coach Bryan Gates won’t be returning to new coach Chris Finch’s staff with the Minnesota Timberwolves next season, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.