Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball made history as the Charlotte Hornets edged out the Detroit Pistons in a 123-121 overtime thriller on Thursday.
Miller scored a career-high 38 points, including eight in overtime, while Ball added 35 before fouling out at the start of the extra period.
Miller was lethal from deep, going 8-for-12 from beyond the arc, two of which came during the decisive overtime stretch.
His eighth triple gave the Hornets a six-point lead with 32 seconds left, a cushion they needed to survive Detroit’s final push.
Ball’s performance was equally pivotal, with 13 points during a critical third-quarter stretch when the Hornets were on the verge of losing a 20-point lead.
Despite early foul trouble that limited his first-half minutes, Ball finished with nine assists to complement his 35 points.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points and 10 assists but exited with a hip injury in the closing moments of regulation.
His departure left Detroit shorthanded as they fell just short despite a spirited comeback. Malik Beasley chipped in 16 points off the bench for Detroit, while Isaiah Stewart provided an efficient 13 points and nine rebounds.
Charlotte, playing without key centers Mark Williams and Nick Richards, relied on Miller and Ball’s offensive firepower to offset their lack of interior presence.
Moussa Diabate anchored the Hornets’ defense with a game-high 16 rebounds, helping Charlotte weather Detroit’s size advantage.
Detroit’s Jalen Duren struggled to make an impact, managing only five points and nine rebounds in 24 minutes.
Despite a strong performance from their bench, including Simone Fontecchio’s eight points and Wendell Moore Jr.’s seven, the Pistons could not capitalize on Charlotte’s late-game mistakes.
The Hornets improve to 6-9 on the season, moving closer to playoff contention in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Pistons drop to 7-10, missing an opportunity to climb the standings after a hard-fought battle.
