Indiana Pacers Conclude Preseason With 121-116 Overtime Win

Source: Dylan Buell / Getty

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) – Ben Sheppard’s four-point play in the final seconds of the fourth quarter forces overtime and then the Pacers outscore the Hornets 15-10 to win 121-116 to conclude preseason play.

1. First Quarter

With this game essentially being a dress rehearsal for the Indiana Pacers, Rick Carlisle started all five opening night starters for Indiana. The only players out for the Pacers tonight were Isaiah Jackson and Obi Toppin. Through the first four minutes, the two teams were exchanging the lead back and forth. With 8:23 left in the quarter, the game was tied at 14 and then Indiana was able to generate a little bit of a surge to take a 22-17 advantage. Tyrese Haliburton scored four points during that 2:41 stretch. Indiana’s largest lead was seven points on three different occasions. After twelve minutes, Indiana was on top 29-25. Myles Turner paced all scorers with 14 points followed by Charlotte’s Brandon Miller with 12 points.

2. Second Quarter

Indiana’s defense in the second quarter was very putrid. Charlotte shot 65% in the quarter and went 5/7 from three-point range. Quarter two started with the Hornets going on a 6-2 burst to tie the game at 31. Rick Carlisle called a timeout and T.J. McConnell buried a three on the next possession for the Pacers to put the team back on top. Charlotte would eventually overtake Indiana with a Brandon Miller three with 7:11 left in the half. The Hornets went from trailing 36-33 to leading 46-36. Miller was responsible for eight of those thirteen points. Indiana would score six straight points to make it a two-possession game, but Charlotte closed the half strong. They outscored Indiana 13-5 the final 3:23 to take a 61-49 advantage into halftime. Miller led all scorers with 20 points followed by Turner with 16 points. Tyrese Haliburton had a nice half with 11 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds.

3. Third Quarter

Unlike Indiana, Charlotte did not elect to play any of its starters in the third quarter. Despite that decision, the Pacers main rotation players could not cut into their deficit. The second half started with Haliburton converting a three to make it a 63-54 deficit for his team with 9:37 left. The Hornets responded with a 9-2 run to take their largest lead of the game. Indiana cut the Charlotte lead down to 79-72 following a Bennedict Mathurin triple. However, the Hornets closed the quarter with four points compared to one for Indiana to lead 85-73. Both teams scored 24 points in the quarter. Miller still led all scorers with 20 points followed by Turner with 18 points and 14 points from Haliburton.

4. Fourth Quarter

After trailing for most of this game, Indiana’s bench unit brought the team all the way back in the fourth quarter. Indiana quickly made things interesting with seven straight points to begin the quarter. The 85-80 deficit was the closest the Pacers had been since the midway point of the second quarter. Charlotte countered with an 8-2 run to retake a double digit lead in the game. Bennedict Mathurin and Enrique Freeman each score field goals on three straight possessions to make it 93-88 with 7:22 left in the contest. Once again, the Hornets were able to regroup and push its lead back to a dozen with 4:39 left in the game. The Pacers just chipped away during the final minutes of the game. With 21 seconds left, Nick Smith Jr. converted two free throws for the Hornets to make it 106-100. Indiana got a quick layup from Quenton Jackson and then Charlotte turned it over on the next possession. The Pacers inbounded the ball and Ben Sheppard picked it up after a broken inbound play and drilled a three plus the free throw after being fouled by K.J. Simpson. Charlotte could not get a shot off as the time expired and the two teams were tied at 106 after forty-eight minutes of basketball.

5. Overtime

The overtime period started with the Pacers taking the lead after a Cole Swider triple. However, Smith Jr. for Charlotte answered with a three immediately. Freeman put the Pacers back in front on the following possession with a layup. Charlotte would tie it two more times, but they would never retake the lead. Quenton Jackson’s dunk with 1:43 left put Indiana ahead 116-114 and then Freeman had a layup after the thirty-first turnover from the Hornets with 1:12 remaining. The Hornets would turn it over on their next possession and then the Pacers made it 120-114 with a Freeman dunk. All Indiana had to do was play defense the rest of the way, which they did. Indiana won it 121-116.

6. Top Performers

Myles Turner (18p, 4r), Tyrese Haliburton (14p, 5r, 5a), Enrique Freeman (15p, 5r), and Ben Sheppard (14p, 3s). For Charlotte, Brandon Miller (20p), Nick Smtih Jr. (14p), Moussa Diabate (11p, 5r), and Nick Richards (10p, 5r). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

7. Next Up

The Indiana Pacers will have five days off before they begin the regular season on Wednesday in Detroit to take on the Pistons. Pat Boylan will get things started at 6:30pm with the Kroger Pregame Show. Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play starting at 7pm on 94.5/107.5 The Fan.