CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Pascal Siakam scored 30 points, including the decisive driving layup with 11.5 seconds remaining, as the Indiana Pacers snapped a 13-game losing streak with a 114-112 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night. The win also delivered the 1,000th career coaching victory to Indiana’s Rick Carlisle. Siakam added 14 rebounds, while T.J. McConnell contributed 23 points and eight assists for the Pacers. LaMelo Ball led Charlotte with 33 points and eight assists. The Hornets led by as many as 10 points in the first half, but Indiana rallied and neither team led by more than five in a tight fourth quarter. The Pacers sealed it with key free throws after Siakam’s go-ahead basket.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Pascal Siakam’s driving layup with 11.5 seconds remaining lifted the Indiana Pacers to a 114-112 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night, snapping a 13-game losing streak and delivering coach Rick Carlisle his 1,000th career win. In a game that featured 18 lead changes and 11 ties, Siakam’s decisive basket came after Aaron Nesmith stole an errant LaMelo Ball pass. The Pacers, who had not won since Dec. 8, executed a final play out of a timeout, with Siakam driving past Kon Knueppel for the go-ahead score. Charlotte had a final chance to tie or win, but Collin Sexton’s 17-foot step-back jumper over Johnny Furphy missed as time expired, allowing Indiana to escape Spectrum Center with a desperately needed victory before an announced crowd of 17,342. The win halted a skid that had seen Indiana drop to 7-31, the worst record in the NBA. Carlisle, who had been stuck on 999 wins for over a month, improved to 1,000-891 in his 24th season as an NBA head coach. Siakam was the catalyst throughout, finishing with 30 points, 14 rebounds and three assists in 36 minutes. His performance anchored an Indiana offense that, while committing 19 turnovers, was efficient when it secured possession. The Pacers shot 50% from the field, including 44.4% from three-point range, and a near-perfect 20 of 21 from the free-throw line. T.J. McConnell provided a critical secondary spark off the bench, scoring 23 points and dishing out eight assists. Aaron Nesmith added 16 points and five rebounds. The Pacers’ interior defense was notable, recording six blocks, with center Jay Huff contributing three of them along with 10 points. Charlotte, which fell to 13-25, was led by LaMelo Ball’s game-high 33 points and eight assists. Kon Knueppel added 18 points and eight rebounds, while Miles Bridges scored 19. The Hornets’ offense was hampered by inefficiency from deep, attempting 44 three-pointers but making only 16, a 36.4% clip. They also left points at the line, shooting 18 of 24 on free throws. The game was a back-and-forth affair from the opening tip. Indiana built an early lead behind Siakam’s 12 first-quarter points, taking a 33-30 advantage after one period. Charlotte responded in the second, using a 12-2 run to take a brief lead before the Pacers closed the half strong to lead 60-58. The third quarter saw the Hornets seize momentum, fueled by Ball’s playmaking and the ejection of Brandon Miller after a technical foul with 9:49 left in the period. Charlotte outscored Indiana 29-30 in the quarter to take an 87-90 lead into the final frame. The fourth quarter was a tense, possession-by-possession battle. Indiana reclaimed the lead on a Jay Huff three-pointer with 8:47 to go, setting the stage for the dramatic finish. The teams traded baskets and stops until the final minute, with the Pacers making the final defensive stand to secure the win. Statistically, the game was remarkably even in several categories. Both teams finished with nine assists and nine steals. Indiana held a slight edge in rebounding, 42-40, and a more significant advantage in blocks, 6-3. The Pacers’ offensive rating of 112.9 on 101 possessions outpaced Charlotte’s 106.3 on 105 trips, proving decisive in the two-point outcome. The victory breaks a pattern of close losses for Indiana, which had seen several recent defeats come by single possessions. For Charlotte, it was a second consecutive narrow loss after falling 97-96 to Toronto on Wednesday. Indiana will look to build on the win when it hosts the Miami Heat on Saturday. Charlotte begins a six-game Western Conference road trip Saturday at the Utah Jazz.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — Two teams on vastly different trajectories will meet Thursday night when the Charlotte Hornets host the Indiana Pacers at Spectrum Center. The Hornets (13-23) enter with momentum, having won three of their last four games, including a dominant 124-97 road victory over Oklahoma City on Monday. Second-year forward Brandon Miller has been a catalyst, averaging 25.3 points over his last three contests. He poured in 28 points with six rebounds in the win over the Thunder. Conversely, the Pacers (6-31) are mired in a prolonged slump, carrying a 10-game losing streak into Charlotte. Their last victory came on Dec. 18. Indiana’s most recent outing was a 120-116 home loss to Cleveland on Tuesday. Rookie guard Johnny Furphy, a player to watch for Indiana, is coming off a season-high 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers. He has shown flashes, including an 18-point performance against New Orleans on Dec. 20, but consistency has been a challenge for the young Pacers squad. The teams have met once this season, with Indiana securing a 127-118 home win on Nov. 19. Replicating that result will require slowing Miller and a Charlotte offense that has scored 112 or more points in eight of its last 10 games. For the Pacers, the matchup represents a rare opportunity against a team near them in the standings, though the Hornets’ recent form suggests a growing gap. Charlotte will look to capitalize on a favorable home date before embarking on a challenging six-game road trip. Indiana continues a three-game road swing, seeking any spark to snap its skid. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.