INDIANAPOLIS -- The Pacers rallied back from 16 points down to tie the game with a four-point play by Ben Sheppard with 3.9 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, then beat the Hornets 121-116 in overtime on Thursday night in their final preseason game.
The Pacers finish preseason play 2-2. They begin the regular season on Wednesday against the Pistons in Detroit.
Ben Sheppard scored 11 points in the fourth to finish with 14 for the game. Rookie center Enrique Freeman scored nine points in overtime to finish with 15 for the game. Myles Turner led the Pacers with 18 and All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had 14. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 20 points.
Enrique Freeman dominated overtime with nine points and the Pacers rallied back to win a game they trailed by as many as 16 points.
Ben Sheppard just forced a preseason overtime almost single-handedly. The second-year wing was going all out the entire fourth quarter, and he drilled a 3-pointer and drew a foul on a broken play with 3.9 seconds left to tie the game at 106. He then got in the way of Charlotte's Charlie Brown Jr. to force a missed shot on the final possession to send this one to overtime.
Sheppard scored 11 points in the fourth quarter and has 14 in the game.
The Pacers appear to have a rally left in them with most of their second unit on the floor. Ben Sheppard, as he tends to do, is bringing some serious energy and the Pacers have made six of their first nine shots in the fourth while Charlotte is 3 of 6.
The Pacers made some in-roads midway through the third and cut it back to a manageable number but faded again and the Hornets are up double figures going into the fourth. The teams tied 24-24 in the third and the Pacers made just 9 of 26 field goals including 3 of 11 3s. With a 0.93 points-per-possession efficiency figure, the Pacers had back-to-back quarters under 1.00 and that's not something you see regularly from this group, especially when the starters get significant minutes.
The starting five was actually 5 of 17 combined in the period and 1 of 6 from 3. They're not turning the ball over much -- the Pacers gave it away just once in the third period -- but they're missing makeable shots. They were actually 6 of 14 from the paint in the third.
The Pacers are 2 of 7 to start the third period but they have outscored Charlotte 6-2 to cut into the lead a little. The Hornets are 1 of 4 so far.
The second quarter was an all-around rough one for the Pacers as they were outscored 36-20. Charlotte made 13 of 20 field goals and 5 of 7 3s with Seth Curry, Brandon Miller and Grant Williams going a perfect 5 of 5. The Hornets posted 1.28 points per possession while the Pacers finished with 0.73 on 7 of 20 shooting including 3 of 8 from 3. The Pacers starters didn't help anything as Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam were all -15 in their 9:21 on the floor together in the second period.
At the half, the Pacers are down to 0.96 points per possession on 46.2% shooting while the Hornets are at 52.4% with 11 3-pointers and 1.12 points per possession. Brandon Miller is up to 20 points with five 3s to his name. Nick Richards has 10.
Myles Turner leads the Pacers with 16. Tyrese Haliburton has 11 and four assists.
The Hornets went on a 13-0 run to take a double figure lead and all and all have been in control in the second period. Charlotte is 10 of 16 in the period. The Pacers are 5 of 13. Brandon Miller is up to 20 points.
The Pacers' defense is getting a little lax so far as the Hornets are now 5 of 8 from the floor with a 3-pointer by Brandon Miller putting them up 38-35. Miller has 15 points with five 3s on seven attempts so far. Offense looks a little sluggish in the second quarter even with most of the first unit back in.
Of note on that end, Aaron Nesmith didn't check in with the first unit. The Pacers instead brought in Cole Swider, Important audition for him here, apparently. Not that he's going to be a starter, but he could be asked to check in at any moment as a shooting specialist and he could use some reps with Haliburton and Nembhard in particular.
The Pacers had a strong defensive finish to the first quarter up until the last play when a loose ball rolled far longer than it should have to find Cody Martin wide open in the corner for a 3 at the buzzer.
Still, the Pacers finish the first half 11 of 19 from the floor, 2 of 6 from 3 and 5 of 8 from the line for 1.23 points per possession. The Hornets are 9 of 22, 6 of 17, 1 of 5 for 0.95 per possession. Myles Turner has 14 points and Brandon Miller has 12 on the other side.
Myles Turner is up to 14 points already on 6 of 6 shooting and the Pacers are 10 of 13 with 1.50 points per possession.
The Pacers have their normal starting five back on the floor and offensively, at least, they're cooking out of the gate. So far Indiana is 7 of 8 from the floor including 2 of 2 from 3-point range. Myles Turner is already in double digits with 10 points on 4 of 4 shooting including both of those 3s. Tyrese Haliburton also has a pair of layups, one from when Turner found him on a baseline cut and another on a strong drive and finish. Andrew Nembhard also has four points. The Pacers are scoring 1.82 points per possession.
They are, however, also giving up buckets. The Hornets are 5 of 9 from the floor including 4 of 7 from 3-point range for 1.40 points per possession.
The Pacers' starting lineup is their usual starting five
PG -- Tyrese Haliburton
SG -- Andrew Nembhard
SF -- Aaron Nesmith
PF -- Pascal Siakam
C -- Myles Turner
Hornets starters follow
PG -- LaMelo Ball
SG -- Seth Curry
SF -- Brandon Miller
PF -- Grant Williams
C -- Nick Richards
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in his pre-game press conference that forwards Obi Toppin, center Isaiah Jackson and rookie wing Johnny Furphy will all be out for Thursday night's game. Carlisle said Toppin sprained his neck and Jackson has been dealing with a sore right groin. Furphy hasn't appeared in a preseason game yet due to an ankle injury. Carlisle said he made progress and got extensive work in practice Wednesday, but not enough to be game-ready.
With Toppin and Jackson out, center James Wiseman will likely be Myles Turner's backup. Forward Jarace Walker will move from the 3 to the 4 in the second unit and Ben Sheppard will likely get work at one of the wing spots.
7:30 p.m. ET Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
TV: Bally Sports Indiana
Radio : 93.5, 107.5 FM in Indianapolis, with Mark Boyle (play-by-play)
Thur., Oct. 17, vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
October
Wed., Oct. 23, at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 25, at New York (ESPN), 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 27, vs. Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 28, at Orlando, 7 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 30, vs. Boston, 7 p.m., ESPN
November
Fri., Nov. 1, at New Orleans, 8 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 4, at Dallas, 9:45 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 6, vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
Fri., Nov. 8, at Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 10, vs. New York, 5 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 13, at Orlando, 7 p.m.
*-Fri., Nov. 15, vs. Miami, 7 p.m.
Sun., Nov. 17, vs. Miami, 5 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 18, at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 20, at Houston, 8 p.m.
*-Fri., Nov. 22, at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Sun., Nov. 24, vs. Washington, 5 p.m.
Mon., Nov. 25, vs. New Orleans, 7 p.m.
Wed., Nov. 27, vs. Portland, 7 p.m.
*-Fri., Nov. 29, vs. Detroit, 8 p.m.
December
Sun., Dec. 1, at Memphis, 3:30 p.m.
*-Tue., Dec. 3, at Toronto, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Dec. 4, at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 6, at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 8, vs. Charlotte, 5 p.m.
Dec. 10, 11, 14, 17 : NBA Cup knockout rounds
Dec. 12, 13, 15, 16 : regular-season games
Thur., Dec. 19, at Phoenix, 9 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 22, at Sacramento, 6 p.m.
Mon., Dec. 23, at Golden State, 10 p.m.
Thur., Dec. 26, vs. Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.
Fri., Dec. 27, at Boston, 7:30 p.m.
Sun., Dec. 29, at Boston, 6 p.m.
Tue., Dec. 31, vs. Milwaukee, 3 p.m.
January
Thur., Jan. 2, at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 4, vs. Phoenix, 7 p.m.
Mon., Jan. 6, at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Jan. 8, vs. Chicago, 7 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 10, vs. Golden State, 7 p.m.
Sun., Jan. 12, at Cleveland, 6 p.m.
Tue., Jan. 14, vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m., TNT
Thur., Jan. 16, at Detroit, 7 p.m.
Sat., Jan. 18, vs. Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
Thur., Jan. 23, vs. San Antonio (in Paris), 2 p.m., NBA TV
Sat., Jan. 25, at San Antonio (in Paris), noon, ESPN
Wed., Jan. 29, vs. Detroit, 7 p.m.
February
Sat., Feb. 1, vs. Atlanta, 5 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 3, at Utah, 9 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 4, at Portland, 10 p.m.
Thur., Feb. 6, at L.A. Clippers, 10:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 8, at L.A. Lakers, 4 p.m.
Tue., Feb. 11, New York, 7:30 p.m., TNT
Wed., Feb. 12, at Washington, 7 p.m.
Thur., Feb. 20, vs. Memphis, 7 p.m.
Sun., Feb. 23, vs. L.A. Clippers, 5 p.m.
Mon., Feb. 24, vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
Wed., Feb. 26, vs. Toronto, 7 p.m.
Fri., Feb. 28, at Miami, 8 p.m.
March
Sun., March 2, vs. Chicago, 5 p.m.
Tue., March 4, vs. Houston, 7 p.m.
Thur., March 6, at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., March 8, at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.
Mon., March 10, at Chicago, 8 p.m.
Tue., March 11, vs. Milwaukee 7 p.m., TNT
Fri., March 14, at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
Sat., March 15, at Milwaukee, 8 p.m.
Mon., March 17, at Minnesota, 8 p.m.
Wed., March 19, vs. Dallas, 7 p.m.
Thur., March 20, vs. Brooklyn, 7 p.m., NBA TV
Sat., March 22, vs. Brooklyn, 5 p.m.
Mon., March 24, vs. Minnesota, 7 p.m.
Wed., March 26, vs. L.A. Lakers, 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Thur., March 27, at Washington, 7 p.m.
Sat., March 29, at Oklahoma City, 8 p.m.
Mon., March 31, vs. Sacramento, 7 p.m.
April
Wed., April 2, vs. Charlotte, 7 p.m.
Fri., April 4, vs. Utah, 7 p.m.
Sun., April 6, at Denver, 8 p.m.
Tue., April 8, vs. Washington, 7 p.m.
Thur., April 10, vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m., TNT
Fri., April 11, vs. Orlando, 7 p.m.
Sun., April 13, at Cleveland, 1 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Ben Sheppard, Enrique Freeman help Pacers rally to overtime win over Hornets
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