On Sunday, the Indiana Pacers lost to the Charlotte Hornets to fall to 10-15 on the season. This loss may have been Indiana's worst of the season. Outside of T.J. McConnell, who scored 30 points, nobody on the Pacers scored more than 15 points. Furthermore, the starting five scored a combined 49 points and had their worst collective performance this season.
To make matters even worse for the Pacers, the Hornets, who only had one road win on the season, were in the midst of an eight-game losing streak. Additionally, they were without some notable players, including star LaMelo Ball. In his absence, Brandon Miller stepped up and scored 26 points on 50% shooting. However, the Hornets also got a boost from an unlikely candidate off the bench, one that Pacers fans are already familiar with.
Isaiah Wong had a career game against the Pacers
Isaiah Wong, who appeared in one game for the Pacers last season and spent most of his time with the Mad Ants, was impressive against his old team on Sunday. In the win, Wong scored nine points on 3-for-6 shooting, including 1-for-1 from beyond the arc. Additionally, he recorded three rebounds, four assists, and a steal.
On the surface, Wong's stat line looks decent. However, he played the entire fourth quarter, where he recorded seven of his nine points, and outplayed everybody on the Pacers not named McConnell, including Tyrese Haliburton.
Wong came up clutch at times for the Hornets and looked comfortable in his role. The New Jersey native signed a two-way contract with the Hornets near the beginning of the month after getting waived by the Utah Jazz, who signed him in September. However, after his performance against Indiana, especially in the wake of all their injuries, Wong will likely earn a bigger role in Charlotte immediately.
When the Pacers moved on from Wong in the offseason, it made sense. Though the guard showed his potential in the G League, he was never going to take on a big role in the near future. There were already plenty of talented guards on the team who stepped in his way, and he was never going to get an opportunity. However, there is no denying that, after his most recent game, the Pacers may have some second thoughts about their decision.
The Pacers have plenty of talent on the roster, and it is ultimately what led to their conference finals appearance last season. But nearly one-third of the way into the 2024-25 NBA season, things are not looking good for Indiana now or for the long haul.