INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 14 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers routed the Charlotte Hornets 144-117 in the Eastern Conference’s first play-in game Tuesday night.
Led by Sabonis and Doug McDermott, who scored 16 of his 21 points in the first quarter, the ninth-seeded Pacers snapped a franchise-worst nine-game losing streak in the postseason. They also moved within one victory of making a sixth consecutive playoff appearance.
Indiana will visit the loser of Tuesday’s other play-in game, No. 7 Boston against No. 8 Washington, on Thursday.
It was Indiana’s first postseason win since a blowout victory against Cleveland in April 2018.