NBA: Hornets cruise, hand Pistons 10th straight loss
FILE–Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Charlotte Hornets. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP
Kelly Oubre Jr. had 27 points and the Charlotte Hornets handed the host Detroit Pistons their 10th consecutive loss, 113-103, on Thursday night.
Terry Rozier filled the stat sheet with 21 points, nine assists, six rebounds, two blocks and two steals. P.J. Washington had 20 points, five rebounds and three blocks, while Dennis Smith Jr. added 14 points.
Nick Richards chipped in 13 points with 10 rebounds for Charlotte, which has won two straight after a three-game losing streak.
The Eastern Conference foes split their season series 2-2.
Cory Joseph’s 17 points off the bench led Detroit. James Wiseman supplied 16 points and 13 rebounds. Jaden Ivey had 16 points and six assists but also committed seven turnovers. Isaiah Livers added 13 points.
Oubre and Rozier had 13 points apiece as the Hornets led 59-50 at halftime. Wiseman led the Pistons with 10 points and eight rebounds.
Detroit committed eight first-quarter turnovers, compared to none by Charlotte, as the Hornets grabbed a 31-23 lead. Charlotte increased the advantage to 12 early in the second quarter. Detroit crept within a point with 1:24 left in the period but Charlotte scored the last eight points of the half, capped by a Rozier 3-pointer with 7.7 seconds left.
The Hornets scored 11 unanswered points early in the third to stretch the lead to 72-55. Washington scored the first five of those points and Rozier had four points and two assists during that stretch.
Detroit answered with an 8-0 spurt, then continued to chip away. A three-point play by Joseph cut Charlotte’s lead to 81-75.
Smith had six points and an assist in the last three minutes of the quarter, allowing the Hornets to carry a 93-83 lead into the fourth.
Charlotte then scored the first eight points of the final quarter, four from Washington, to stretch the advantage to 18 points.
Ivey made two free throws and a layup midway through the quarter to cut the Hornets’ lead to 106-96.
Oubre’s 3-pointer with 1:43 left gave the Hornets a 15-point lead and ended any hopes of a Detroit comeback.
