Pistons pull away from Hornets in a 124-91 rout

The Detroit Pistons traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday night and dismantled the Hornets for their third consecutive win. The final score was 124-91, a margin that reflected the control Detroit maintained throughout the contest.

Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with a season-high 33 points. He shot 13 of 20 from the field and contributed seven assists, five steals, and five rebounds. Cunningham played only three quarters, leaving the game in the fourth period to manage his workload. Duncan Robinson added 24 points, sinking six 3-pointers to keep the offense moving.

The Pistons built their lead steadily. They were up by 11 points at halftime and extended that advantage to 23 points by the end of the third quarter, leading 98-75. Detroit hit 13 of its first 24 3-point attempts, creating a rhythm that Charlotte could not match. In the fourth quarter, Robinson and Kevin Huerter both made 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions, pushing the lead to 29 points. Hornets coach Charles Lee pulled his reserves from the court as the game concluded.

For Charlotte, Brandon Miller scored 17 points and Naz Reid added 13. The team struggled to find offensive flow, even with the season debut of point guard Coby White. White, who missed the first seven games due to a calf strain, scored seven points in 16 minutes. Lee said White will remain on a minutes restriction for the foreseeable future.

Lee also noted that guard Kon Knueppel is expected to return soon. Knueppel led the league in 3-pointers last season and was the runner-up for NBA rookie of the year. The Pistons will host Philadelphia on Wednesday night, while the Hornets will play at Brooklyn on the same day.