2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets

It’s been an up-and-down season for the Indiana Pacers so far, highlighted by their most recent game – a 125-124 loss to the Charlotte Hornets that included an other-worldly performance from Tyrese Haliburton.

Indiana was going toe-to-toe with the Hornets for most of the game, and in the third quarter, they dropped 50 points, surging out to a four-point lead to begin the fourth quarter.

At the end of the game, Buddy Hield missed a free throw to tie the game, but the Pacers still had a chance to win. But a brutal final play ended in a Hornets victory and a 3-3 record for Indiana, who sits in the middle of the pack in the East.

Following the tough loss, let’s take a look at two studs and one dud from the game.

Stud – Buddy Hield

Look, missing a game-tying free throw at the end of a close contest is a tough look, but there were plenty of other mistakes that the Indiana Pacers made outside of Buddy Hield’s miss.

In reality, he was one of their better players throughout the contest against the Charlotte Hornets. He finished with a solid statline and gave them production on both ends.

Hield finished the game with 19 points (second on the team), six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks while shooting 7-of-15 from the field and 5-of-13 from beyond the three-point arc.

All people will remember is the missed free throw, but in reality, Hield played well against the Hornets. He just came up short in the final moments of the game.