Terry Rozier, LaMelo Ball and the Charlotte Hornets have now won three straight games after defeating the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday, 116-108.

The Hornets kept a mean stiff arm of a lead through most of the game. The Pacers did cut the lead down to four points, but Rozier and Ball continued to make huge plays down the stretch. Those two were on fire all night long. They combined for 56 points, including 35 points from Rozier. It's safe to say that the “slump” he was in during the first quarter of season is now gone.

When asked about his confidence after the game, Scary Terry kept it as real as he could:

“I’m feeling real confident, as you can see. I’m not hesitating at all. From the beginning, all the way to the end. I could score the ball, I’ve been like that all my life. I always give credit to my coaches and teammates because they allow me to be me. I don’t want to go unnoticed,” Rozier said.

With Miles Bridges out due to health and safety protocols, the Hornets needed Rozier to whip back in to shape. And he showed why he was one of the hottest scorers in the league last season.

As he finds his groove back, the wins should come pouring in for the Hornets. Gordon Hayward, who finished with a solid 18 points in his hometown, knows that Rozier's impact on this team is immense.

“He’s been huge for us, especially recently, we need him to be like that. He adds another dimension to our team, he’s a big time weapon,” Hayward explained.

Terry Rozier isn't the only member of the backcourt who has been showing out though. LaMelo Ball had 21 points on Wednesday night, along with 12 rebounds and nine assists. Ball was finding the open man all night long, but he found the hottest man when it mattered most. Rozier loves everything he's seeing from his young point guard and he knows that their connection will be huge moving forward.

“It’s gonna be huge. I think it starts how well we get along off the court and when we’re on the court, it’s just like night and day. We go out there play off one another and have fun. He’s a helluva player to play next to. I enjoy it every night and continue to grow with him,” Rozier shared.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Chicago Bulls shooting guard Ayo Dosunmu wearing a Charlotte Hornets jersey with a basketball, next to Atlanta Hawks forward A.J. Griffin also wearing a Charlotte Hornets jersey. A couple of Charlotte Hornets logos added in the background.

Matt Guzman ·

JJ Redick with Hornets' LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller

Jack Winter ·

JJ Redick (2024 image) wearing a Charlotte Hornets hat.

Jerry Donatien ·

He's on the money. Their play is huge for this team on the offensive side of the ball. However, on Wednesday night, they played their hearts on both ends–just ask head coach James Borrego.

“I love the back court play tonight. They battled on the board. For Terry and LaMelo to each have seven defensive rebounds, it speaks to their energy and effort,” Borrego noted. “We’re trying to make strides right now defensively. We’re pushing aggressively on the boards and defensive end. They’ve set the tone defensively and they’ve bought in.”

Hopefully, they can maintain that level of defensive intensity to get easier shots on the offensive end. Plus, it will probably feel more rewarding to score knowing that you just locked up the opponent on the previous possession. Either way, Ball and Rozier are a two-headed dragon for this team–meaning that a lot starts and stops with them on both ends of the floor.

The Hornets have three days off and play again in the new year against the Phoenix Suns back home in Charlotte. The Hornets lost the first matchup in Phoenix, but now they have their home crowd to help them come out of Spectrum Center with a dub. Stay tuned for more updates!