Hornets withstand Tyrese Haliburton's 45 points to top Pacers

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Nov 4, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (25) shoots the ball whileIndiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (7)  defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Nov 4, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington (25) shoots the ball whileIndiana Pacers guard Buddy Hield (7) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Image: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Mark Williams scored a career-high 27 points to lead seven players in double figures as the visiting Charlotte Hornets snapped a three-game losing streak, beating the Indiana Pacers 125-124 on Saturday night.

Gordon Hayward scored 23 points and Terry Rozier added 22 before exiting the game due to a groin injury midway through the fourth quarter. P.J. Washington scored 15, Brandon Miller and Nick Richards had 10 each, and LaMelo Ball recorded 11 points and 11 assists.

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Tyrese Haliburton matched his career high with 43 points and had 12 assists for Indiana, which led by seven early in the fourth quarter. Charlotte responded with a 19-7 run to move ahead 118-110 with 5:24 remaining.

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After Williams scored with 1:03 left to put the Hornets ahead 125-122, Pacers guard Buddy Hield failed to convert a three-point play that would have tied the score.

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Indiana trailed by one with 16 seconds left before Ball stymied Haliburton on the final possession to seal the victory.

Hield scored 19 points for the Pacers. Myles Turner had 14 and Obi Toppin added 11. Jalen Smith finished with 11 points and nine rebounds.

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Haliburton made eight 3-pointers and recorded his fifth double-double in as many games this season.

Indiana rallied from an eight-point halftime deficit behind Haliburton, who erupted for 25 points in the third quarter on 8-of-11 shooting from the field and 6-of-8 from 3-point range.

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The Pacers made 12 3-pointers and outscored the Hornets 50-38 in the period to move ahead 96-92.

Toppin scored six points in the game's first three minutes to give Indiana an early lead before Charlotte rallied to pull even at 27-27 at the end of the opening quarter.

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Charlotte moved ahead 41-35 after the Pacers missed 12 of their first 14 shots from the field to open the second quarter.

The Hornets finished the contest shooting 53.4 percent from the field and 40 percent (8-of-20) from behind the arc.

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Indiana connected on 48.4 percent of its shots from the field, including 22-of-45 (48.9 percent) from 3-point range.

—Field Level Media