February 26, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) shoots the ball in the first half of a game against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Kon Knueppel set an NBA single-season rookie record for 3-pointers and Brandon Miller set a season-high with 33 points to lead the Charlotte Hornets to a 133-109 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday in Indianapolis.
Knueppel matched his franchise rookie record with eight 3-pointers, highlighting a 28-point performance, bringing his season total to 209 points. That’s three more points than Keegan Murray’s record in 2022-23.
Kneuppel was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Hornets, who have 22 games remaining on their regular season schedule.
Miller, who scored 19 points in the third quarter, made 11 of 19 floor shots and 6 of 11 3-pointers in the game. His point total Thursday matched his New Year’s Eve result, which set up Charlotte’s 132-125 loss to the Golden State Warriors.
LaMelo Ball had 20 points and eight assists and Moussa Diabate had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Hornets, who extended their franchise-high winning streak to nine games.
Charlotte, which has won its third straight game and 13 of its last 16 games, is shooting a strong 55.8% from the floor (48 of 86) and a strong 47.8% from 3-point range (22 of 46). The Hornets also held a decisive 46-37 advantage in rebounds.
Indiana’s Andrew Nembhard had 20 points and seven assists and Micah Potter added 19 points off the bench.
Jarace Walker added 16 points for the free-falling Pacers, who have dropped nine of their last 11 games.
Indiana played without Pascal Siakam (left wrist sprain) and Aaron Nesmith (right ankle sprain).
The Pacers led 34-31 after the first quarter, and then the Hornets put on a dominant performance in the second quarter. Grant Williams sank a 3-pointer on consecutive possessions at one point before Knueppel drained his fifth 3-pointer to cap the scoring and give the Hornets a 67-46 advantage at halftime.
Knueppel etched his name into the record books with a flashy pump fake and calmly hit a 3-pointer late in the third quarter to push Charlotte’s lead to 103-77. He capped the Hornets’ 40-point quarter with a turnaround jumper with 1.7 seconds left to play.
Kneupel added his 7th and 8th 3-pointers in the top of the 4th inning, giving Charlotte the victory.
–Field level media
