Hornets 117, Pacers 95
INDIANAPOLIS -- Guard Kemba Walker scored 25 points to lead a balanced attack and the Charlotte Hornets crushed the sluggish Indiana Pacers 117-95 on Wednesday night.
Charlotte (27-26) came into the game ranked 29th in the NBA in field goal percentage at 42.8 percent but shot 51.7 percent (45 of 87).
Guard Jeremy Lamb added 16 points for the Hornets, guard Jeremy Lin scored 14, center Cody Zeller and guard Nicolas Batum had 11 each and center Frank Kaminsky contributed 10.
The Hornets, who had lost 12 consecutive times in Bankers Life Fieldhouse, got 54 points from their non-starters, which was 21 more than the Indiana bench.
Forward Paul George led Indiana (28-25) with 22 points and guard George Hill scored 12.
The Pacers shot only 43.5 percent from the field in their most lopsided home loss this season.
The Hornets got two dunks from Zeller and a 3-pointer from Lin to increase their lead to 69-49 with 7:53 left in the third quarter. Charlotte maintained its double-figure lead when Batum dunked for a 77-64 advantage with 3:16 left in the quarter.
Walker sank two free throws with 0.1 of a second left in the third quarter to give Charlotte an 89-70 advantage heading into the final 12 minutes.
Lavoy Allen scored the first five points of the fourth quarter, pulling the Pacers within 89-75 with 10:24 remaining and prompting a Hornets timeout.
After Indiana briefly cut into the Charlotte lead, Lamb scored six quick points and the Hornets built a 97-79 advantage with 8:01 to play.
A Walker layup gave the Hornets a 102-83 lead with 4:27 remaining and Charlotte continued to extend the advantage all the way to the final buzzer.
Charlotte dominated the second quarter, outscoring Indiana 35-18 to take a 60-43 lead through 24 minutes, making 13 of 22 from the floor in the quarter.
The Hornets got 25 second-quarter points from their non-starters, including eight each from Kaminsky and Lamb and seven from Lin. The trio was a combined 9 of 14 from the field in the quarter.
Charlotte finished the first half 22 of 42 from the field and Indiana was 17 of 43.
Walker had 14 first-half points to lead the Hornets. Kidd-Gilchrist, Kaminsky and Lamb each added eight.
George led Indiana with 10 points and Turner had eight.
Charlotte enjoyed a 14-4 advantage in fast-break points during the opening half.
NOTES: Charlotte played without F Al Jefferson (right knee surgery). Indiana was without G Rodney Stuckey (right foot sprain, bone bruise). ... The Pacers started their big lineup with C Ian Mahinmi and rookie PF Myles Turner in place of C.J. Miles. ... Indiana was trying to cap a three-game, pre-NBA All-Star Game homestand with a third consecutive victory. ... The Hornets entered with a two-game winning streak. ... Indiana had won five of seven before facing Charlotte. ... Charlotte ranks third in the NBA in turnovers per game (13.0) and fifth in free-throw percentage (78.9). ... Indiana ranks fourth in steals per game (9.3) and fourth in opponents' turnovers per game (16.5). ... The Pacers won three of four meetings with the Hornets last season. ... Wednesday's game was the first of three matchups between the teams this season.