Cade Cunningham leads Pistons’ balanced bounce-back to sting Hornets

The Detroit Pistons bounced back with a win on their home floor, one night after suffering their first loss of the season.

The Pistons defeated the Charlotte Hornets 97-89 on Wednesday, Oct. 28, to improve to 4-1. It was a needed response after falling Tuesday night at the New York Knicks, 111-97, with Cade Cunningham leading the way with a season-high 30 points and seven assists.

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They got strong contributions from their other four starters – 16 points from Paul Reed, 14 points and three assists from Daniss Jenkins and 13 points from Duncan Robinson. Ausar Thompson added seven points, nine rebounds, eight assists and a block.

Brandon Miller led the Hornets (3-2) with 31 points and 12 rebounds. They remained without their starting backcourt of Coby White and Kon Knueppel.

Jalen Duren, who exited their road win over the Miami Heat last Friday with a right hamstring strain, missed his third straight game, and remains out for at least another 10 days. Isaiah Joe (right hip contusion) missed his second straight game.

It was a poor offensive first half for the Pistons, and strong second half. They trailed 51-44 at halftime but outscored the Hornets 53-38 through the final two periods while shooting 51.2% overall and 42.9% (9-for-21) from 3. Cunningham iced the win with two late 3-pointers, the second falling with 30.5 seconds on the clock to make it a three-possession game.

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Pistons start cold, but find groove on 3s

It was another cold start for the Pistons on Wednesday, missing eight of their 11 attempts during the first half. It continued their struggles against the Knicks on Tuesday, a game in which their outside shooting fell back down to Earth – 9-for-39 (24.3%) overall – after knocking down 42% of their looks through their first three games.

The process wasn’t the issue, coach J.B. Bickerstaff said before Wednesday’s win. They generated open looks. They just didn’t fall.

“You go back and watch it, we got open shots,” Bickerstaff said. “They just didn’t go for us. Nothing should change, they were created in the right way. We were sharing the ball, we were screening and executing. Shots just didn’t go. That happens throughout the course of a season, but what do you do when those shots aren’t going that as a group, we’re growing to learn.”

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The pendulum swung back in the Pistons’ favor in the second half. A 12-0 run in the third quarter, powered by consecutive 3-pointers from Reed, Javonte Green, Cunningham and Duncan Robinson in order, gave them a 60-56 lead midway through the period. They knocked down six of 13 attempts, including two from Reed to bring his season total to 5-for-5.

The Pistons ultimately will fall somewhere in-between the red-hot shooting of their first three games, and their inability to shoot in New York. Wednesday was more evidence that it’s a focal point of their offense, even if they don’t fall every game.

Daniss Jenkins clicking with starters

With 1:23 remaining in the game, Jenkins came up with a steal, was fouled in transition by Miller and had to be escorted away by Robinson after exchanging words. It was a summation of Jenkins’ night – he hit shot after shot to help the Pistons take control of the game, including a deep buzzer-beating 3-pointer, off the glass, to close the first half.