Charlotte Survives Blowing 20-PT Lead, Defense Responds in OT, 3-Point Shooting Stays Hot

By Sam Perley

For whatever reason, there’s something about the Detroit Pistons that’s brought out the best in Brandon Miller. A little more than two weeks after downing them with a putback game-winning buzzer-beater, the second-year wing exploded for a career-high 38 points to help guide the Charlotte Hornets to a 123-121 overtime win on Thursday night, their fourth straight at home.

Top Performers: Miller (38 points on 15-of-26 shooting) and LaMelo Ball (35 points on 12-of-27 shooting) are now the first pair of teammates in franchise history to each score 35-or-more points in the same game, and the second in the NBA this season (Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin). Additionally, the eight 3-pointers that Miller drained were also a new personal best, and his four steals tied a career high.

Before exiting at the start of overtime with a hip injury, Detroit’s Cade Cunningham posted an inefficient team-high 27 points on 9-of-26 shooting and a game-high 10 assists, while Tobias Harris established new season highs for points (26 on 10-of-16 shooting) and 3-pointers (6-of-9).

Turning Point: Charlotte raced into the third quarter on a 26-10 run to take an 89-69 lead, then four-and-a-half minutes later, closed the frame ahead by 14. Detroit’s ball pressure soon ramped up, as did the Hornets’ turnover count (7) in the fourth. By the time there was only 47 seconds left, the Pistons had used a 10-0 stretch to take a 109-107 lead. Following a game-tying floater from Ball, Malik Beasley missed not one, but two attempts from within five feet, the second gobbled up by Grant Williams with 1.5 seconds left. Ball got free for a great look on the ensuing inbounds, but his shot had a little too much on it and hit the back of the rim.

Just one second into overtime, Ball was whistled for his sixth foul, ending his night. A series of key defensive plays – a Miller steal and blocks from Cody Martin and Tre Mann – early in overtime kept the Pistons in check. With Charlotte up one and 1:43 to go, Miller ripped off a shot-clock beating 3-pointer, a tip-in layup and pull-up 3-pointer across three straight possessions to extend the lead to 121-115 roughly 70 seconds later. A few made free throws and a pivotal loose-ball scoop from Taj Gibson in the waning moments sealed the victory.

Hornets Go Crazy from 3-Point Range Again

It was another lights-out showing from behind the arc for the Hornets (20-of-44; 45.5%), who joined the 2021-22 Utah Jazz, plus this and last season’s Boston Celtics as the only four teams in NBA history to make 20-or-more 3-pointers in three consecutive games. Besides Miller and Ball, Josh Green was perfect (3-of-3) from deep, and Martin nearly was, as well (3-of-4).

Turnovers Were Better… Until They Weren’t

Coming off committing a season-high 23 turnovers in Brooklyn, Charlotte’s ball security was much cleaner through the opening three quarters (only six giveaways) until things went awry in the fourth (finished with 16). For what it’s worth, Detroit was worse in this category, coughing up possession 19 times – seven in the third – which led to 25 Charlotte points.

Moussa Makes Impactful Start

With no Miles Bridges, Grant Williams slid over to the starting four and center Moussa Diabaté got his second career NBA start and first with the Hornets. The new role hardly phased the Frenchman as he continued to showcase a defensive intensity and glass-cleaning prowess on his way to a career-high 16 rebounds – seven offensive – and a career-high-tying three steals.

Postgame Quote

“It was just an opportunity to be more aggressive. As a competitor and winning teammate, we want to do everything to go out there for 48 minutes and win the ball game. ...I honestly didn’t know tonight was my career high. I was just playing basketball, going out there looking to win a ball game in front of a great home crowd tonight.” – Brandon Miller on his overtime mentality.

What’s Next?

The Hornets will embark on a short one-game trip to face the Milwaukee Bucks again on Saturday, Nov. 23 beginning at 8 PM ET on the FanDuel Sports Network. Charlotte took the first seasonal meeting between these two sides, 115-114, less than a week ago at Spectrum Center, after dropping its five previous head-to-head matchups against the Bucks.