Cade Cunningham scored 30 points and the Detroit Pistons outscored the Charlotte Hornets 32-19 in the third quarter to pull away for a 97-89 win on Wednesday at Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons improved to 4-1, while the Hornets fell to 3-2.
Charlotte led by as many as 12 points in the first half behind a hot start from Brandon Miller, who finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Detroit improved to 4-1, atop the Central Standings. Charlotte fell to 3-2 but leads the Southeast. The Pistons forced 23 turnovers and limited themselves to 13, a decisive margin that fueled the comeback.s defense tightened in the second half, forcing 23 turnovers that led directly to a stretch of extra possessions the Pistons converted into their decisive third-quarter run.
Key Moments: How Detroit Took Control
Charlotte built an early cushion in the first quarter, jumping ahead 22-21 after Royce O’Neale’s buzzer-beating jumper. The Hornets extended the lead to 42-35 midway through the second quarter on a 3-of-3 free-throw trip from Miller, part of a run that saw Charlotte score 29 points in the period to Detroit’s 23.
The third quarter flipped the game. Detroit outscored Charlotte 32-19 in the period, turning a halftime deficit into control of the game heading into the fourth. The Pistons finished with 26 assists on 34 made field goals, a sign of the ball movement that fueled the surge, while Charlotte was limited to 17 assists on 31 makes.
Detroit’s defense was the bigger story. The Pistons forced 23 turnovers and turned them into advantages at the other end, outscoring Charlotte 14-10 in fast-break points despite the Hornets holding a 45-33 rebounding edge. Detroit’s 13 steals compared to seven for Charlotte reflected the pressure that disrupted the Hornets’ offense for long stretches.
Top Performers
Cunningham led all scorers with 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting, adding seven assists and five rebounds in 39 minutes. Paul Reed contributed 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting with four rebounds and three steals. Ausar Thompson had nine rebounds and eight assists, and Duncan Robinson added 13 points.
Miller led Charlotte with 31 points and 12 rebounds on 12-of-26 shooting. Dennis Schroder added 14 points and five assists. Moussa Diabate had nine points and nine rebounds.
What It Means
Detroit’s win kept the Pistons atop the Central Standings at 4-1, a half-game ahead of Cleveland. Charlotte remains in first place in the Southeast at 3-2 despite the loss, with a one-game cushion over Atlanta and Washington. Detroit now leads the season series against Charlotte 1-0.
Detroit’s 13 turnovers to Charlotte’s 23 marked the clearest statistical gap in the box score, a difference of 10 giveaways that directly shaped the final result. The Pistons also out-shot the Hornets from three, hitting 39% compared to Charlotte’s 34%, while both teams shot similarly from the field overall.
What’s Next
https://totalapexsports.com/hornets-vs-pistons-wednesday/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>preview coverage for context on how this matchup set up before tipoff.
Charlotte will look to rely again on Miller, who scored 34 points in a win over Miami earlier this season detailed in the Total Apex recap of the Hornets’ win over the Heat, and he signed a five-year, $209 million extension this offseason covered in the report on the Brandon Miller contract extension. Detroit will try to extend its winning streak after improving to 4-1 on the young season.
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