Pistons suffer another heartbreaking loss as Hornets win in overtime

Charlotte, North Carolina — On November 6, the Pistons were involved in a thriller that resulted in a one-point loss to the Hornets. The game came down to the wire as sophomore forward Brandon Miller scored the game-winning basket as time expired.

The Pistons felt victory slipping away after missing an offensive rebound. Two weeks later, they found themselves in another close game against the Hornets, but the results remained the same: They lost in overtime, 123-121, on Thursday night.

After entering the fourth quarter trailing by 14 points, Tobias Harris led the Pistons’ comeback attempt, where he scored 11 of his 26 points. Harris’ fourth three-point field goal with 7:37 left was vital for Detroit, which opened the quarter with a 14-8 lead. His fifth triple of the night brought the Pistons within two points (107-105) with two minutes remaining.

Two possessions later, Jayden Ivey, who had foul trouble most of the evening, tied the game at 107 with 1:20 left. Cade Cunningham gave the Pistons a 109-107 lead with 48 seconds left on a pair of free throws. However, LaMelo Ball tied the game at 109 on the Hornets’ next possession.

Harris opened overtime with his sixth three-point field goal, giving the Pistons a 112–109 lead. However, the Hornets beat Detroit 14–12 in the extra session. Once again, Miller was instrumental in the Pistons leaving Charlotte with another loss. He scored a game-high 38 points on 15-of-26 shooting. His seventh three of the game put Charlotte ahead by six (121-115) with 32 seconds left.

BOX SCORE: Hornets 123, Pistons 121 (OT)

When coach J.B. Bickerstaff walked into the Spectrum Center Thursday night, he knew perimeter defense would be vital for the Pistons, who would begin their two-game road trip with a win. The Hornets have established themselves as one of the league’s best three-point shooting teams, ranking 14th on 36.5% of their shots.

However, despite emphasizing his importance, the Pistons failed to implement Bickerstaff’s teachings. They allowed the Hornets to shoot 48.0% in the first half on 12 three-point field goals. Detroit failed to match Charlotte’s scoring output, posting a second straight subpar offensive performance. The Pistons started the night shooting 7 of 24 from deep.

They started the game missing their first five field goal attempts and trailed by as many as 12 points at the 3:59 mark of the first period. Cunningham struggled to keep the Pistons afloat, scoring 13 of his 27 goals in the first half. Detroit trailed Charlotte 63-59 at the half. Cunningham finished the night by recording his fifth straight double-double, adding 10 assists.

Miller had a strong performance, but the Pistons couldn’t contain Ball. After being benched in the fourth quarter of their previous game against the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, Ball capped a terrible night with one of his best performances of the season. He scored 35 points on 12-of-27 shooting and nine assists. Ball scored 13 points in the third quarter as the Hornets beat Detroit 30–20.

The Pistons will finish their two-game road trip Saturday night against the Orlando Magic. They will then return home to face the Toronto Raptors on Monday. The matchup between the Pistons and Magic is scheduled for 7:00 pm at the Kia Center.

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