Pacers and Bobcats finish home-and-home set

(Basketball News) - The Indiana Pacers try to halt a two-game losing streak this evening when they conclude a home-and-home set with the Charlotte Bobcats at Conseco Fieldhouse.

In the opener of the set on Wednesday, Kareem Rush racked up a career-high 35 points while Raymond Felton had a career-best 18 along with 10 assists in his first NBA start as Charlotte cruised to a 122-90 home victory.

Emeka Okafor compiled 20 points and 12 rebounds while Sean May contributed 15 points and eight boards, as the Bobcats halted a five-game losing streak despite playing without three of their top four scorers.

Felton replaced starting point guard Brevin Knight, scratched from the lineup due to tendinitis in his left knee. Forward Gerald Wallace missed his fourth straight game with a chipped bone in his right wrist and center Melvin Ely is still hampered by a shin injury.

Rush picked up the slack by making 12-of-15 shots, including 6-of-7 from three-point range, and Charlotte forced 26 Indiana turnovers to record their largest margin of victory in the franchise’s brief history.

Ron Artest finished with 27 points and Stephen Jackson had 18 in the loss, Indiana’s second in a row.

The Bobcats, who will close a two-game road trip in Minnesota on Saturday, are just 1-3 away from home this season. Indiana, meanwhile, is 2-1 in its arena and will be starting a four-game homestand tonight.

Indiana took all three meetings with the Hornets last season.