Detroit — The Detroit Pistons’ two-game win streak ended Wednesday night in a 108-107 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. The last time the Pistons won three games in a row was in March 2022, when they defeated the Toronto Raptors, Indiana Pacers, and Atlanta Hawks. They finished the 2021-22 season with a 23-59 record.

Jaden Ivey drilled a pair of clutch free throws that gave the Pistons a 103-101 lead with 1:08 left in the fourth quarter. However, All-Star guard LaMelo Ball scored five of the Hornets’ final seven points down the stretch. His run began with a 3-point field goal that resulted in the Hornets holding a one-point advantage with 55.0 seconds left.

Ivey’s dunk on the next possession cut the Hornets’ lead to a point with 21.0 seconds. On Charlotte’s next possession, Ron Holland II came away with a steal and converted the takeaway into a layup that left six seconds.

Brandon Miller then recorded a game-winning tip-in at the buzzer following Grant Williams’ missed triple. Miller recorded 19 points and six rebounds. Ball added 25 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. Former Michigan State prospect Miles Bridges scored a game-high 27 points before leaving the game with his respective injury. 

Amid an inefficient shooting night, Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 20 points on 9-of-23 shooting, 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Given his sizzling start, Cunningham’s performance was subpar at best. During the first quarter, Cunningham shot 6-of-8 from the field while pouring in 12 points.

The Pistons held a 24-23 lead entering the second period. Despite his shooting, Cunningham recorded his second consecutive triple-double by adding 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jalen Duren’s night came to an early end after he sustained a left ankle injury two minutes into the game. He was attempting a rebound.

Following a 30-second timeout, Duren played six more minutes before being subbed out for Isaiah Stewart. However, the Pistons ruled their third-year big man out after an evaluation at halftime, where Detroit trailed Charlotte 46-45.

Although Stewart started the second half, Paul Reed played a significant role in helping Detroit fill Duren’s vacancy with 13 points on 6-of-6 shooting, two rebounds, two steals, and a block in 12 minutes. He scored eight fourth-quarter points.

Duren was the first of two injury scares the Pistons sustained against the Hornets. Ivey briefly left with an apparent shin injury early in the fourth period but returned at the 6:34 mark. He scored a game-high 21 points, to go along with five assists, and four rebounds.

Up next

The Pistons will embark on a three-game homestand, starting Friday night against the Hawks. Their homestand will feature games against the Houston Rockets (Sunday) and Miami Heat (Tuesday), which also mark the start of the Emirates NBA Cup 2024. Tipoff between the Pistons and Hawks is slated for Little Caesars Arena at 7 p.m.

Observations vs. Hornets

▶ Is Ron Holland starting to make good use of Fred Vinson’s teachings?

Since the start of training camp, Ron Holland II has spent nearly every day of practice working on his 3-point shooting alongside assistant coach Fred Vinson. Due to the endless practices, Holland has not shied away from attempting 3-point shots, and through the first eight games, the rookie prospect from G League Ignite shot 1-of-16.

Against the Hornets, Holland had his best shooting performance of his young career. He shot 2-of-3 from behind the arc en route to an eight-point outing. Although a small sample size, Holland gave a glimpse into the benefits of training with Vinson as a shooting coach.

▶ Are the Pistons improving their turnover woes?

Although the Pistons lost, they had their best game of the season when it came to ball security. Detroit recorded a season-low 10 giveaways, conceding five points to the Hornets. Turnovers were a significant issue for the Pistons during the first seven games of the season when they averaged 18.3. However, over the last two games, Detroit has registered 11.5 — the sixth-lowest in the league.

▶ Why can’t Cade Cunningham sustain his scoring?

Cade Cunningham was on fire to start the game against the Hornets, and there was a moment when it appeared he was on the verge of a career night. However, he shot 3-of-15 the rest of the game while scoring eight points. Cunningham’s performance against the Hornets marked the third time this season his scoring significantly declined after a sizzling half or quarter.

In the season-opener against the Indiana Pacers, Cunningham scored 18 points in the third but shot 1-of-6 for four points down the stretch. Against the Miami Heat, he scored 18 points while shooting 6-of-6 from the field. Cunningham ended the game with 24 after he shot 3-of-12 in the second half. The Pistons dropped both games.

While averaging 22.9 points with a pair of triple-doubles, Cunningham is having a solid start to his fourth-career season, but he has to find a way to maintain his scoring for an entire game.

Coty.Davis@detroitnews.com

@cotydavis_24

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