NBA: Bulls-Heat is suspended because of moisture problems on the court on the night the Pacers ended their worst streak

For the first time since 2017, an NBA game was suspended because the court was deemed “unplayable.” Humidity was to blame for the Bulls-Heat game being called off. The incident overshadowed the Pacers’ win over the Hornets, which allowed the Indiana franchise to end a 13-game losing streak, the worst in its history.

Despite their efforts, the United Center's maintenance crew failed to address the moisture showing on the court and, nearly two hours after the scheduled start time, the game was postponed to a date yet to be determined.

"We all went out on the court and, almost immediately, we realized that it was unplayable," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Players on both teams were complaining." While it is unusual for NBA games to be postponed because of the court, there are some precedents, such as the one experienced in 2017 on the Timberwolves' home court under similar conditions.

Hornets 'help' Pacers end worst streak in their history

Where there was indeed a game, and an intense one, was in Charlotte. The close 114-112 final on the Hornets' court was more to the demerit of the locals than to the visitors' success, especially because of the catastrophic last minute of play by the Hornets. A triumph that comes to the vigent runners-up exactly one month after their last victory, on December 8 against Sacramento.

The negative spiral of the Pacers, who only seven months earlier played the Finals against the Thunder, ended Thursday in a thrilling final game in Charlotte, where Pascal Siakam had 30 points and 14 rebounds and reserve point guard T.J. McConnell signed 23 points and 8 assists.

The Hornets missed the redemption exercise of their star, LaMelo Ball, who surprisingly was relegated to the bench for the first time in six years. The point guard responded to that decision with a furious first half in which he scored 22 points in just 13 minutes on the court, including a spectacular three-pointer launched on one leg over the first-quarter buzzer.

Ball, who finished with 33 points and eight assists, slowed the pace in the second half, in which forward Brandon Miller (6 points) was ejected for two technical fouls. On a free throw by Moussa Diabaté, Charlotte led 112-109 with a minute and a half left and had a possession to seal the game but Ball missed an alley-oop attempt on the French center himself.

Carlisle, 11th coach to reach 1,000 wins in the NBA

McConnell scored a layup and, after another Siakam basket put Indiana ahead, steals the ball as Charlotte serves from deep with nine seconds left. The result also allowed Rick Carlisle to become the 11th coach to reach 1,000 NBA wins.

"I'm very happy for our players. The last month has been really very difficult in many ways," Carlisle said in remarks picked up by AFP. The Pacers, competing this season without injured star Tyrese Haliburton, remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with seven wins and 31 losses.

Wolves beat Cavaliers on Edwards' night he reached 10,000 points

In Thursday's most compelling clash, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 131-122 on a special night for their star, Anthony Edwards. At 24 years and 156 days old, the shooting guard became the third youngest player to reach 10,000 points scored.

Only two giants achieved this milestone earlier: LeBron James, at 23 years and 59 days, and Kevin Durant, at 24 years and 33 days. Against Cleveland, Edwards finished with 25 points and nine assists in the fourth straight win for the Wolves, who moved into fourth place in the West (25-13).

Donovan Mitchell led a Cavaliers team that, with its second stumble in the last three games, dropped one more rung to eighth place in the East (21-18) with 30 points.