Detroit hosted Charlotte on Sunday evening, where Cade Cunningham delivered an impressive performance with 19 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds. This strong showing led the Detroit Pistons to a 112-102 victory over the undermanned Charlotte Hornets.
Cunningham recorded his eighth triple-double of the season, marking the third-highest total in Pistons history. For context, the franchise record is held by Grant Hill, who notched 13 triple-doubles during the 1996-97 season and 10 in the following one. Alongside Cunningham, Tobias Harris contributed significantly with 20 points, while Jalen Duren added 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for Detroit, which maintained the lead throughout the contest.
On the other side, Miles Bridges shone for Charlotte, scoring 30 points, though the team struggled, suffering its seventh loss in eight matches. Seth Curry also put forth a solid effort, finishing the game with 26 points. Despite trailing by a substantial 90-73 heading into the fourth quarter, Charlotte momentarily ignited hope with a 14-0 run to start the final period. However, Detroit recovered as Cunningham and Dennis Schroeder knocked down consecutive jumpers to extend the Pistons’ lead to 97-90 with just over six minutes remaining.
In terms of team news, the Hornets were already facing challenges with LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Nick Smith Jr. (back) being downgraded to out shortly before the game commenced. Additionally, Moussa Diabate had to exit early in the second quarter after sustaining a blow to the face from Isaiah Stewart.
For the Pistons, Dennis Schroeder made his debut after being traded, contributing five points and three assists in a 15-minute outing as the backup point guard.
From the onset, Detroit asserted dominance, racing to a quick 13-4 lead in the opening minutes and finishing the first quarter with a commanding 39-15 advantage. Harris recorded 14 points, while Malik Beasley added 11, helping the team set a franchise record for the largest first-quarter lead.
Statistically, Charlotte struggled significantly, shooting just 30% from the field and committing eight turnovers during the first quarter alone.
Looking ahead, the Hornets will face the Brooklyn Nets on Monday as they begin a stretch of nine consecutive games on the road. Meanwhile, the Pistons are set to travel to Chicago for back-to-back games on Tuesday and Wednesday.
