What We Learned From the Hornets Loss to the Pistons
The Charlotte Hornets entered their game against Detroit on Saturday night hoping to build momentum, but instead ran into one of their toughest performances of the season. Detroit set the tone early, jumping out to a 33–27 lead after the first quarter and steadily taking control of the game. The Pistons continued to apply pressure in the second quarter, outscoring Charlotte 22–18 to take a 55–45 advantage into halftime. Charlotte struggled to generate consistent offense, and the energy gap between the two teams was noticeable from the opening minutes. From that point on, the Hornets were forced to play catch-up rather than dictate the pace.
Brief Third-Quarter Push Falls Short
To Charlotte’s credit, the Hornets showed some life coming out of the locker room in the third quarter. They outscored Detroit 27–24 during the period and briefly trimmed the deficit to seven points, which ended up being as close as they would get. That stretch offered a glimpse of competitiveness, as Charlotte pushed the tempo and found a bit more rhythm offensively. The momentum, however, never fully swung, and Detroit remained calm and composed throughout the run. The Hornets’ inability to capitalize on that window proved costly once the game entered the final quarter.
Fourth-Quarter Collapse Seals It
Any hope of a comeback disappeared quickly in the fourth quarter as Detroit completely took over. The Pistons outscored the Hornets 33–14 in the final period, turning a manageable deficit into a lopsided finish. Charlotte struggled to generate quality shots, while Detroit capitalized on second-chance opportunities and executed efficiently on both ends of the floor. The Hornets looked fatigued and disconnected down the stretch, making it one of their most discouraging finishes of the season. The final score reflected a game that slipped away rather than one that remained competitive until the end.
Offensive Struggles Tell the Story
Miles Bridges and Kon Knueppel led Charlotte with 19 points each, but neither was able to provide the efficiency needed to shift momentum. Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball endured particularly rough nights, combining to shoot just seven-for-30 from the field, with Ball fouling out in only 23 minutes. Outside of Bridges, Knueppel, and Miller’s 14 points, no other Hornet reached double figures. As a team, Charlotte shot just 31 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point range, numbers that made sustained offense difficult. The lack of consistent scoring placed additional strain on the defense, which eventually wore down.
Detroit’s Balance Makes the Difference
Detroit, meanwhile, delivered a complete team performance led by Cade Cunningham, who finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists for a triple-double. Jalen Duren dominated the paint with 19 points and 11 rebounds, consistently overpowering Charlotte on the glass. Tobias Harris added 16 points, Duncan Robinson chipped in 15, and Ausar Thompson finished with 14, highlighting Detroit’s balanced scoring attack. The Pistons also controlled the rebounding battle, 61–43, creating extra possessions that Charlotte could not overcome. With the loss, the Hornets fall to 9–19 and will look to regroup Monday night in Cleveland. Detroit, meanwhile, improves to 22–6 and heads to Portland riding strong momentum.
