Cade Cunningham scored 30 points as the Detroit Pistons overcame a halftime deficit to beat the Charlotte Hornets 97-89 on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit outscored Charlotte 32-19 in the third quarter to take control and improve to 4-1, bouncing back from Tuesday’s loss to the New York Knicks.
Cunningham shot 10-for-22 from the field, including four three-pointers, and added seven assists, five rebounds and two steals. He committed just one turnover in 39 minutes as Detroit recovered from a seven-point halftime deficit.
Paul Reed contributed 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting and made both of his three-point attempts. Ausar Thompson added seven points, nine rebounds and eight assists, while Daniss Jenkins scored 14 points off the bench. Duncan Robinson finished with 13 points and four steals.
Charlotte led 51-44 at halftime after Brandon Miller scored 21 points in the opening two quarters. The Hornets held a 6-0 advantage in second-chance points before the break, but struggled to maintain their lead after the interval.
Detroit opened the third quarter with a 16-5 run, getting three-pointers from multiple players while increasing its defensive pressure. The Pistons forced eight turnovers in the period and outscored Charlotte 32-19 to enter the fourth quarter with a 76-70 advantage.
The Hornets stayed within reach in the final period, but could not complete the comeback. Miller struggled down the stretch, missing five of his seven fourth-quarter attempts as Detroit protected its lead.
Miller finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds, shooting 12-for-26 from the field and making three three-pointers. Dennis Schroder added 14 points and five assists, but no other Charlotte player reached double figures.
The Hornets committed 25 turnovers, compared with 14 for Detroit, giving the Pistons another key advantage in a low-scoring contest.
Detroit shot 45% from the field and 39% from three-point range, while Charlotte finished at 44% overall and 34% from beyond the arc. The Pistons also recorded 26 assists, with Thompson contributing eight and Cunningham adding seven.
The win moved Detroit to 4-1 overall and 2-0 at home. Charlotte fell to 3-2 after suffering its second loss of the season. The Hornets visit the Washington Wizards on Friday, while the Pistons travel to face the Brooklyn Nets that night.
