Goodness gracious, great balls of fire!
The Charlotte Hornets and Brandon Miller secured a hard-fought scrappy overtime victory against the much-improved Detroit Pistons Thursday night, with a final score of 123 to 121. Cade Cunningham, the former Rookie of the Year in 2021, was the Hornets’ biggest threat and obstacle, filling up the stat sheet with 27 points, ten assists, and seven rebounds for the Pistons.
An unacceptable and disastrous fourth quarter that showed the Hornets inexperience when closing out games, allowed the contest to go into overtime, making it much closer than it needed to be. This win puts the Hornets in a sustainable position moving forward as the season goes on and shows their fan base that they are not the same old Hornets. Thursday’s hard hat, lunch pail type of an effort gives fans optimistic that they can grind out tough games and shows how excellent the corner stones Miller and LaMelo Ball are.
The Hornets’ young star backcourt of Miller and Ball led the way for the Hornets Thursday night. Ball finished with 35 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, while Miller added 38 points, seven rebounds, and four assists. The duo also had contributions from their supporting, Cody Martin (15 points), Moussa Diabate (16 rebounds), and Grant Williams (12 points and game-clinching free throws).
Embed from Getty ImagesBall and Miller were explosive together on the court. It was one of those magical games where you could see the potential super stardom of Charlotte’s backcourt duo of #1 and #24. Their talent has no limits, and when both are cooking and hitting their shots, they look like one of the top duos in the league. The pair combined for 73 points, 13 assists, and 13 rebounds in their win over the Pistons.
Not to take away from Ball’s incredible night, but his foul trouble has been a recurring issue this season, and this game was no different. He was saddled with three fouls in just seven minutes, putting not only himself but also the team in a tough spot. His frustration and lack of composure was evident, leading to poor defensive decisions and forcing him to pick his spots to avoid more fouls. This gives the opposition a distinct advantage, because they can target him for foul calls.
First-year coach Charles Lee faces a nearly an impossible decision when this occurs. Does he pull the Hornets’ best player early or leave him on the court and risk further trouble? Ball will need be smatter and adjust his defensive approach as the season continues.
The Hornets depend on him to be their offensive load, and the team struggles to create their own shots and find a rhythm when he is on the bench. He collected his 6th foul at the start of the extra session, leaving his team between a rock and a hard place without their star player. Ball will have no choice but to improve this flaw in his game to help himself and Charlotte reach their goal of making the playoffs.
Diabate earned his first start of the season for the Hornets last night, and he delivered exactly what fans were hoping for. His presence in the starting lineup set the tone early, especially in the first half.
Diabate became just the third player this season to record five offensive rebounds and five defensive rebounds in a half, joining Jalen Duren and Alperen Sengun. His ten rebounds in the first half marked the most in a single half of his career.
He finished the game with 16 boards, including seven offensive rebounds, in a performance that showcased his ability to dominate on the glass. Diabaté proved himself with a strong showing against Duren, who is a respected glass-cleaner in his own right.
After missing a floater, Ball fought for his rebound, grabbing it as he fell to the floor. Just before sliding out of bounds, he managed to toss it to Josh Green, who knocked down a 3-pointer. It was a great display of leadership, effort and awareness from Ball.
Charlotte’s next game is a rematch in Milwaukee against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, set for 7 PM EST on Saturday.
The Pistons travel to Orlando face Franz Wagner and the Magic on Saturday night.
