NBA: Hornets end six-game slide by pounding Pistons
LaMelo Ball #2 of the Charlotte Hornets gives a fist bump after the win against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on February 11, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. Nic Antaya/Getty Images
LaMelo Ball racked up 31 points, 12 assists and four steals, Terry Rozier notched a triple-double and the visiting Charlotte Hornets snapped a six-game losing streak by pounding the Detroit Pistons 141-119 on Friday.
Rozier had 25 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds as the Hornets defeated the Pistons for the 15th consecutive time. Miles Bridges supplied 25 points and Montrezl Harrell, acquired from Washington on Thursday, contributed 15 points and six rebounds in his Charlotte debut.
TRIPLE-DOUBLE SHOWER FOR T-RO! 💦#AllFly | @T_Rozzay3 pic.twitter.com/3tR1LfNnXN
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 12, 2022
PJ Washington added 13 points, five rebounds and five assists and Kelly Oubre Jr. chipped in 11 points. Charlotte had 36 assists on its 54 made field goals.
Detroit’s losing streak increased to seven games and 11 of its last 12.
Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 25 points and Hamidou Diallo supplied 16 points with seven rebounds. Isaiah Stewart had 15 points and 12 rebounds and Jerami Grant also scored 15. Killian Hayes added a double-double with 11 points and 12 assists.
The Hornets outscored the Pistons 43-26 in the second quarter while racing to a 79-55 halftime lead. Charlotte’s backcourt of Rozier and Ball combined for 32 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. Bey led the Pistons with 17 points at the break.
So easy when you're 1 of 1 🤷♂️#AllFly | @MELOD1P pic.twitter.com/Xw0H9Uxb2z
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 12, 2022
The Hornets made 56.9 percent from the field and knocked down nine 3-pointers in the opening half.
Charlotte was only up by two after Bey hit a 3-pointer with 11 minutes left in the half. The Hornets then reeled off 12 unanswered points, including five from Oubre.
𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙠𝙮 𝙏𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 pic.twitter.com/2BeJQQHOWZ
— Charlotte Hornets (@hornets) February 12, 2022
Cade Cunningham made a 3-pointer with seven minutes remaining in the half to cut Charlotte’s lead to 52-43. Ball answered with a 3-pointer and the Hornets kept their lead in double digits the rest of the way. That basket sparked a 17-2 run, featuring 11 points from Rozier.
The Hornets led 90-70 midway through the third quarter, then went on a 10-2 run. Ball made a pair of 3-pointers and Harrell capped it off with a dunk. Ball scored five points in the final minute of the half as Charlotte led 110-87 after three quarters.
