Hornets 133, Pacers 109: Kon Knueppel Makes NBA History in Charlotte’s Ninth Straight Road Win

David Desa
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Kon Knueppel (7) warms up during the second half against the Washington Wizards at the Spectrum Center

The Charlotte Hornets didn’t just beat the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night. They made history.

Rookie sharpshooter Kon Knueppel shattered the NBA’s all-time rookie 3-point season record, draining 8 of 12 attempts from deep on his way to 28 points. Brandon Miller poured in 33. And the Hornets walked out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse with a 133-109 blowout win — their ninth consecutive road victory.

Let that sink in. Nine straight. On the road.

Knueppel Rewrites the Record Books

Coming into Thursday’s game, Knueppel needed six 3-pointers to surpass Keegan Murray‘s rookie record of 206, set across 80 games in the 2022-23 season. Knueppel did it in 59.

The record-breaking shot came with 9:41 left in the fourth quarter. He pump-faked Quintin Jackson into the air, dribbled left, and let it fly. The ball rattled around the rim — hearts skipped a beat across Charlotte — and dropped through. Just like that, history.

USA;Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) and forward Brandon Miller (24) high five during the second quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans

He finished the night with 209 3-pointers on the season. Stephen Curry’s all-time record of 402 is still a mountain to climb, but Knueppel is climbing it faster than anyone ever has. And he’s only a rookie.

Brandon Miller Was Unstoppable

While Knueppel grabbed the headlines, Miller was the one doing the heavy lifting in the third quarter. He caught fire, hitting four straight 3-pointers to blow the game wide open. The Hornets led 107-82 heading into the fourth. It was over long before the buzzer.

Miller finished with 33 points on 11-of-19 shooting, adding 7 rebounds and 4 assists. This wasn’t a quiet, efficient performance. It was a statement. The kind of game that makes opposing coaches shake their heads during film sessions the next morning.

LaMelo Ball added 20 points and 8 assists, doing what LaMelo does — making the game look effortless, keeping the offense humming, and getting everyone involved.

Indiana’s Second Quarter Was a Disaster

The Pacers had things reasonably competitive after the first quarter, trailing just 31-34. Then the second quarter happened.

Indiana shot 3-for-18 from the field in the second period. Three for eighteen. Charlotte outscored them 36-12 in the quarter and never looked back. By halftime, the Hornets led 67-46, and the Pacers were staring down a mountain they simply couldn’t climb.

Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 20 points and 7 assists. Micah Potter came off the bench to score 19. The Pacers have now surrendered 130 or more points in three consecutive games, something the franchise has only done twice before in its entire history.

What This Hornets Run Really Means

Charlotte improved to 12-3 over their last 15 games. A team that looked lost earlier this season has found something — chemistry, confidence, or maybe both.

Nine straight road wins are no accident. You don’t rattle off a streak like that on sheer talent alone. There’s a trust developing between these players, a belief that they can walk into any building in the league and compete. That’s the kind of intangible that separates good teams from dangerous ones.

The Hornets host Portland on Saturday. The Pacers welcome Memphis on Sunday.