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5 Takeaways From Hornets’ 124-91 Loss to Pistons
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- 5 Takeaways From Hornets’ 124-91 Loss to Pistons
(Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images)
The Charlotte Hornets dropped their fourth game in a row Monday night, losing 124-91 to the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center. It was Detroit's second win over Charlotte in six days.
Cade Cunningham scored a season-high 33 for the Pistons, who are 6-1. The Hornets fell to 3-5.
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1. Detroit's 3-Point Shooting Overwhelmed Charlotte
Detroit made 18 of its 37 attempts from beyond the arc. The 18 makes and the 48.6% clip were both season highs for the Pistons, according to the Hornets.
Duncan Robinson went 6-of-9 from deep and made all 3 of his tries in the fourth quarter. Cunningham hit 4 of 7, Kevin Huerter 3 of 5, and Ronald Holland II 3 of 6. In the second quarter alone, Detroit was 5-of-6.
Through seven games, the Pistons are tied for 11th in the league in 3-pointers made. They rank sixth in 3-point percentage.
Last season, Detroit was 28th in makes. It was 17th in percentage.
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On the other end, Charlotte went 13-of-44. Brandon Miller was 3-of-11 from deep, Grayson Allen 3-of-7, and Tidjane Salaün 0-of-4.
2. Turnovers Remain Charlotte's Biggest Problem
The Hornets matched their season high with 27 turnovers. In the fourth quarter alone, they had 11.
Detroit had 15 steals, 5 of them by Cunningham, and scored 37 points off Charlotte's giveaways. On the fast break, the Pistons outscored the Hornets 27-4.
By Coby White's count, Detroit got 30-some points off Charlotte's turnovers, and that makes a team like the Pistons hard to beat.
"We're not gonna magically go from 20 whatever turnovers to five turnovers," White said. "We play fast, we play upbeat, uptempo the way we play. But how do we limit turning that number from 25 to 13, 14? And not as many [live-ball] turnovers."
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Eight Hornets had at least two turnovers. Dennis Schröder had 5 in 22:33, and Sion James and White had 3 each.
Detroit committed 15 turnovers of its own. Charlotte scored 9 points off them.
Hornets coach Charles Lee credited Cunningham with the spurt that sparked Detroit's third-quarter run. He put the turnovers on his own team.
"Again, turnovers … we have to look in the mirror and figure out how we can take care of it a little bit better," Lee said.
3. Hornets Won the Glass but Couldn't Capitalize
Jalen Duren missed his fifth straight game with a right hamstring strain. In their first four games without him, the Pistons ranked 23rd in the NBA in rebounding percentage, according to the Hornets.
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Charlotte won the boards 44-37 and held an 18-6 edge on the offensive glass. Those extra chances produced 12 second-chance points on 5-of-18 shooting. Detroit scored 8 second-chance points on 4-of-6.
Moussa Diabaté had 9 rebounds, 6 of them offensive, in 23:56. Ryan Kalkbrenner grabbed 5 offensive rebounds in 15:44. Salaün finished with 7 rebounds, 5 of them in the fourth quarter.
Paul Reed started at center for Detroit and had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks. The Pistons outscored Charlotte 52-36 in the paint.
4. Sion James Made the Most of Another Start
James scored in double figures for the first time this season. He finished with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, 3-of-4 from 3-point range, with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 21:29.
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He started alongside White, Miller, Naz Reid, and Diabaté. His 3-pointers in the third quarter came with 10:33 and 6:31 left, the second off a White pass.
When Kon Knueppel returns from his left hamstring strain, he is expected to take James' spot in the starting lineup. Lee would not give a date Monday. Knueppel has not played this season .
5. Coby White's Return Was a Needed Positive
White missed all of the preseason and the first seven games with a left calf strain. Before tip-off, Lee said the plan was to limit White's minutes over the next few games.
White knew going in how many minutes he would get.
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"Feeling good," White explained. "Obviously not the outcome we all wanted, but feeling good. I'm excited. [It] was good to get back out there, get back on the floor."
He started at point guard and scored 7 points on 3-of-9 shooting with 3 assists in 15:55. Schröder, who had been starting in his place, came off the bench.
To White, Monday was one game, and the Hornets cannot get too high or too low over it.
"I think continue to come together and figure out the problem," White said. "It's still early in the season, man. We got some new faces, new group. We try to figure it out. So I think in those moments, it's most important that we come together as a unit and as a team."
"And it's growing pains, so you learn from it," White continued. "But seven games in, eight games in, whatever, eight games in, it's a long season."
