Simmons’ 41 Leads Charlotte Past Pacers in Gritty Win

November 7, 2016

Hornets 110, Pacers 105 (Bankers Life Fieldhouse – Indianapolis, IN)

In just his sixth career game, Ben Simmons is already playing like a superstar.

The rookie dropped 41 points on the Indiana Pacers, guiding the Charlotte Hornets to a 110-105 road victory in a game that saw multiple lead changes and a fourth-quarter scare. Despite Indiana’s late push, Simmons and the Hornets held firm to secure their fifth win of the season.

Simmons Leads the Charge

From the opening tip, Simmons was in attack mode, bullying defenders in the paint and pushing the pace whenever he had the ball.

Final stat line:

• 41 points (19-33 FG, 3-6 FT)

• 10 assists

• 7 rebounds

• 3 blocks

• 5 turnovers

Simmons set the tone early, scoring Charlotte’s first six points and showing no hesitation against Indiana’s defense. Whether it was blowing past defenders, finishing strong at the rim, or setting up teammates, he was the engine that powered Charlotte.

“It’s about staying aggressive,” Simmons said postgame. “Even when things weren’t going our way, I kept telling the guys, ‘Stay locked in. We got this.’”

A Tight First Half

The Pacers came out strong, taking control early in the first quarter, but Charlotte battled back.

By the end of the first, Indiana held a slim lead, but Charlotte snatched momentum in the second quarter. Despite both teams struggling to score, the Hornets edged ahead 30-29 going into the half in what was shaping up to be a defensive grind.

“They were physical,” Marvin Williams said. “They made it tough on us early, but we stuck with it.”

Marvin Williams & Roy Hibbert Step Up

While Simmons carried the scoring load, Marvin Williams quietly delivered another efficient performance, scoring 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting, including some key buckets in the third quarter.

And then there was Roy Hibbert, who finally made his presence felt—at least on the glass.

The much-maligned center grabbed 13 rebounds, helping Charlotte control the boards despite offering very little offensively.

Hibbert’s play didn’t erase concerns about his long-term fit, but for one night, he helped where he could.

Fourth-Quarter Scare

Charlotte entered the fourth quarter with a comfortable lead, but Indiana refused to go away.

Paul George and Jeff Teague caught fire, leading a late Pacers run that briefly put them ahead. Indiana outscored Charlotte in the final quarter, putting serious pressure on the Hornets to close out the game.

With the crowd roaring and the game tightening, Simmons took over once again.

With just under two minutes left, he hit a tough fadeaway jumper over Myles Turner, followed by a dunk in transition, silencing the Indiana crowd.

The Hornets never trailed again.

“We stayed poised,” Simmons said. “That’s what good teams do.”

The Aftermath

With the win, Charlotte improved to 5-1, proving once again that they could win in different ways.

Simmons continued his dominance, putting up MVP-caliber numbers despite still being a rookie.

Though Hibbert’s offensive struggles persisted, his rebounding was a welcome sight, and Charlotte’s role players did just enough to support their rising star.

The Hornets had faced adversity in the fourth—but they still came out on top.

And with Simmons leading the way, it was starting to feel like this team could handle anything.