Cade Cunningham buzzes in Charlotte as Pistons sting Hornets

CHARLOTTE, NC – With 4:48 remaining in the third quarter, the Detroit Pistons led by four points. A 27-2 run followed, powered by a dominant stretch by Cade Cunningham and red-hot shooting up and down the roster.

The Pistons blew out the Charlotte Hornets, 124-91, on Monday, Nov. 2, to improve to 6-1 overall and close their two-game road trip with a bang. Through seven games, the Pistons have played five on the road and, two weeks into the season, are tied with the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics in the loss column for the East's best record.

They've done so without Jalen Duren, who missed his fifth straight game with a right hamstring strain, and Isaiah Joe, who missed his fourth straight with a right hip contusion. Cunningham led the way with a season-high 33 points, seven assists, five rebounds and five steals. He scored 17 points in the third quarter, which the Pistons closed with a 19-0 run to take a 23-point lead, 98-75.

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It was the Pistons' finest offensive performance of the season, shooting 57.3% overall and 48.6% (18-for-37) from 3. They were sharp on both ends, scoring 37 points off of 25 Hornets turnovers while holding them to 38.1% overall and 29.5% from 3. They held Charlotte scoreless from the 4:48 mark of the third until the 11:23 mark of the fourth, and used a 27-2 run to extend their lead to 29, 106-77, with under nine minutes to play.

Duncan Robinson (24 points, 8-for-11 overall, 6-for-9 from 3), Ausar Thompson (14 points, six rebounds, four assists), Paul Reed (11 points, five rebounds, four assists) and Ron Holland (11 points, 3-for-6 from 3) also scored in double figures. Brandon Miller led the Hornets with 17 points.

Cade Cunningham explodes in third period

The superstar was unstoppable in the third period, scoring or assisting 11 of the team's 13 makes. That included 12 consecutive points after a layup from former Pistons guard Dennis Schröder cut their lead to four, 79-75.

It was a sequence that showed off the many ways Cunningham can break down opposing defenses. He knocked down pull-up 3-pointers, midrange jumpers, pushed the pace to find teammates in transition and even finished a windmill dunk following a steal. Cunningham didn't play in the fourth period, with the win already in hand.

Ron Holland gets hot from beyond the arc

The third-year forward isn't letting a cold start – 0-for-6 over his first five games – from 3-point land deter him from letting it fly. Now, it's paying off.

Holland hit three of his six attempts Monday, after knocking down two of five against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. A 24.4% shooter on 3s through his first two seasons, Holland has put substantial time into working on his accuracy and has remained confident even as the results have been uneven.

Monday also marked his second straight game scoring in double figures as well, after failing to do so though his first six games.

Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him on X and/or Bluesky.