Hornets score 49 in first, hold on to beat Pacers
Kemba Walker scored 41 points to help make sure the Charlotte Hornets didn't waste a franchise record set early in the game in a 133-126 victory against the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
Nic Batum, buoyed by seven 3s, pumped in a season-high 31 points and Frank Kaminsky supplied 15 points as the Hornets cranked it up late after a spotty midgame stretch.
The Hornets scored a record 49 first-quarter points. That was the most points for any quarter in franchise history.
They made 19 of 23 shots from the field during those opening 12 minutes. Batum had 16 of those points.
It's the first time this season that the Hornets had two players reach the 30-point mark in the same game.
Charlotte's Jeremy Lamb provided 14 points and Dwight Howard chipped in with 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Victor Oladipo tallied 35 points for the Pacers, who pulled even briefly in the second half.
With 4:43 left in the third quarter, the Pacers tied the score at 82-all on Myles Turner's 3-point basket.
Walker heated up for 10 consecutive of Charlotte's points to close out the third quarter, with the Hornets holding a 96-91 lead.
Still, Charlotte had to fend off Indiana's late charge when a 121-112 edge with less than three minutes to play was reduced to 128-124 with 40 seconds left.
Walker finished 11-for-22 from the field with five 3-point baskets. He was 14-for-14 on free throws.
Charlotte made 30 of 34 free-throw attempts.
Turner notched 19 points, Bojan Bogdanovic had 18 and Lance Stephenson posted 15 points for Indiana. Cory Joseph's 12 points and Darren Collison's 10 also helped keep it close.
The Hornets broke out to a 16-6 lead. They scored 36 points in the first 9 ½ minutes.
Charlotte's scoring pace slowed down, so it held a 71-57 halftime edge.
Charlotte was without starting forward Marvin Williams, who's out with an ankle injury that's considered day-to-day.
--Field Level Media