Pistons hold off Hornets 97-89 as Cade Cunningham scores 30 and Charlotte commits 25 turnovers

Cade Cunningham scored 30 points and the Detroit Pistons rallied from a halftime deficit to beat the Charlotte Hornets 97-89 on Wednesday night at Little Caesars Arena, bouncing back one night after a loss in New York.

Paul Reed added 16 points and Ausar Thompson filled the box score with seven points, nine rebounds and eight assists as Detroit improved to 4-1, according to The Associated Press. Charlotte fell to 3-2.

Hornets vs. Pistons: final score and box score highlights

• Final: Pistons 97, Hornets 89
• By quarter: Charlotte 22-29-19-19; Detroit 21-23-32-21 (official NBA box score)
• Pistons leaders: Cunningham 30 points; Reed 16; Thompson 7 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists
• Hornets leaders: Brandon Miller 31 points and 12 rebounds; Dennis Schroder 14 points
• Turnovers: Charlotte 25, Detroit 14
• Biggest leads: Charlotte by 12, Detroit by 10, with three lead changes

How Detroit turned it around

Charlotte controlled the first half. Miller had 21 points before the break as the Hornets built a 51-44 halftime lead, the AP reported. Neither side shot well, but Charlotte’s edge on second-chance points kept it in front.

The game flipped in the third quarter. Detroit opened the second half on a 16-5 run that included 3-pointers from four different players, and the Pistons forced eight turnovers in the period on the way to a 76-70 lead after three. Detroit outscored Charlotte 32-19 in the quarter.

Charlotte stayed within striking distance for most of the fourth, but Miller missed five of his seven shots in the final period, and five more Hornets turnovers kept them from making a serious push, according to the AP recap.

Brandon Miller’s big night wasn’t enough

Miller’s 31 points and 12 rebounds were game highs, and he carried the offense for long stretches. Beyond Schroder’s 14, though, no other Hornet reached double figures. The 25 turnovers, against Detroit’s 14, were the clearest difference on a night when both teams struggled to score.

Who was missing?

Both teams played shorthanded. The official NBA box score listed Charlotte’s Kon Knueppel (left hamstring strain), Coby White (left calf strain) and Grant Williams (right hamstring strain) as inactive. Detroit was without Jalen Duren (right hamstring strain) and Isaiah Joe (hip contusion).

The Pistons were also playing the second night of a back-to-back after a 111-97 loss at New York on Tuesday.

What’s next for the Pistons and Hornets?

Both teams are back on the road Friday night: the Hornets visit the Washington Wizards, and the Pistons play at the Brooklyn Nets, according to the AP.

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