In a tough loss, the Charlotte Hornets fell to the Pistons for the first time in 16 matchups. Kelly Olynyk hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to give the Pistons the 127-126 win in overtime. Olynyk scored 20 points off the bench and the Pistons also had strong performances from Saddiq Bey with 28 points, Jerami Grant with 26 points, and number one pick Cade Cunningham scored 19 points. The Hornets fall to 30-32 and will travel to Milwaukee to face a Bucks team coming off a tough loss against the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. Detroit absolutely dominated this game on the offensive glass, securing 22 offensive rebounds aiding the Pistons in getting 21 more shot attempts than Charlotte. Here are some observations from tonight’s loss to Detroit.
Tough Night for LaMelo:
LaMelo Ball couldn’t find his rhythm Sunday night. Ball was 6-24 from the floor, missing a lot of bunnies at the rim and some good looks from three. Despite his struggles, LaMelo almost won the game in regulation – stealing the ball from Killian Hayes and getting a good look at the basket, but the shot didn’t go down. LaMelo Ball will need to find his game against the Bucks tomorrow.
Montrezl Harrell was Out of Sync:
Before tonight’s game, Montrezl Harrell was excellent for the Hornets – averaging 18 points a game. For whatever reason, Harrell couldn’t get into the game. In 24 minutes, Harrell only got up one shot – scoring two points and grabbing just four rebounds. The Hornets will need Montrezl to bring energy and edge down the stretch, and find ways to get active on the offensive end in the pick-and-roll if they want to finish strong.
Miles’ and Terry’s Strong Games Go to Waste:
Miles Bridges and Terry Rozier played well for Charlotte against Detriot. Terry had his 2nd strong performance after the All-Star break. Rozier, who scored 23 points versus the Raptors, dropped 33 points against the Pistons. Miles Bridges chipped in 29 points. The Hornets will have to find a way to get some of their other featured players back in sync.
