Kon Knueppel Just Broke Kemba Walker's 3-Point Record and the Hornets Are About to Get Even More Dangerous

The Charlotte Hornets are playing their best basketball of the season right now, and it's the rookies who are leading the charge. With a 41-36 record and seven wins in their last nine games, Charlotte is fighting hard to lock down a spot in the NBA play-in tournament, and Friday night's matchup against the Indiana Pacers could be the statement win they need.

The Rookies Are Carrying Charlotte

Here's what should have fans in the Hornets' corner fired up: rookie guard Kon Knueppel has drained 261 shots from 3-point range, breaking the franchise single-season record that had been held by now-assistant coach Kemba Walker. That's not just a number, that's a legacy moment. And it's happening while the Hornets are actually winning games.

In Thursday night's 127-107 victory over the Phoenix Suns, six Hornets scored in double figures, but it was rookie center Ryan Kalkbrenner's four blocked shots that set the tone defensively. Miles Bridges put it perfectly: "During this time, you usually see rookies going down, but our rookies are doing great."

The veteran depth helps too. Guard Coby White has now scored in double figures in 10 consecutive games off the bench, giving Charlotte a reliable scoring punch no matter who is on the floor. "I just try to go out there and help any way I can," White said.

Indiana Wants to Keep the Good Times Rolling

The Pacers have been eliminated from playoff contention but they're playing some of their best ball of the season. They've won three of their last five games, including a 135-118 blowout over Miami and a 145-126 destruction of Chicago on Wednesday. Those are the two highest-scoring outputs in regulation for Indiana all season.

Ethan Thompson went off for a career-high 24 points against the Bulls, and Pascal Siakam has led the Pacers in scoring in four of their last five games. Coach Rick Carlisle has the team buying into ball movement, racking up 49 assists on 58 baskets Wednesday. "The ball has energy," Carlisle said. "It goes in the basket more."

Still, Indiana is dealing with some injury noise. Siakam (sore right knee) and Obi Toppin (sore right foot) are on the report. T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Andrew Nembhard (back) missed Wednesday's game.

Charlotte's Defense Is the Key

Miles Bridges knows exactly what Charlotte needs to do: "We've got to let our defense dictate our offense. As long as we play defense, I feel we're going to be in good shape because everybody on our team can score the ball."

The Hornets and Pacers have split their season series, with Charlotte winning the most recent matchup 133-109 on February 26. Brandon Miller dropped 33 points in that game with 22 successful 3-pointers. If the Hornets can duplicate that kind of shooting and defensive intensity Friday night, they'll keep their play-in hopes alive and rolling.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.