The Detroit Pistons got a win over the depleted Charlotte Hornets in the not-so-primetime afternoon slot before the Superbowl.
Other than the Chiefs (and Drake), no one took a bigger beating than the one the Pistons put on the Hornets at the beginning of the game. It was embarrassing really, as Detroit was just taking the ball from them and doing whatever they wanted with little resistance from Charlotte, who was running out a glorified G-League team.
But the Pistons tried to put on cruise control and ride out the clock, which you cannot do in the NBA no matter who the opponent is or how big of lead you have on them.
Detroit nearly learned a painful lesson when the Hornets came storming back in the 4th quarter with a 14-0 run to start the frame. The Pistons fought them off and eventually pulled away, but hopefully they got the point, which is you can’t take your foot off the gas against anyone.
The win put the Pistons alone in 6th place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of Miami, and with only 29 games remaining, this is the battle we’ll be watching.
There were other interesting notes from the game.
Cade Cunningham triple doubles
Cunningham notched his 8th triple-double of the season even though he did struggle a bit from long-range, hitting just 1-of-5 of his 3-point attempts.
The ankle that kept him out against Philly didn’t seem to be bothering his movement, but he did leave a lot of shots short last night. This has been a theme of late, as Cade is shooting just 28 percent from 3-point range over his last five games.
But he got the triple-double nonetheless, which puts him third all-time in a single season for the Pistons behind two seasons from Grant Hill. Hill set the mark with 13, so Cade still has a chance to chase him down this season.
I’m glad the Pistons aren’t the Hornets anymore
Things can change a lot in a year.
Last year at this time, the Pistons were awful, hopeless and it didn’t look like any relief was coming. They were decimated by injuries, poor coaching, poor roster construction and it looked as though they may be starting from scratch again.
Fast forward a year and they are in the playoff hunt, wild.
It actually made me feel sorry for the Hornets and their fans, as they are in same position the Pistons were in for six years, tanking away another season with backups and G-League call ups in the starting lineup, a ton of injuries and little hope that doesn’t involve ping-pong balls and lottery odds.
This is why I’ve been telling people to just enjoy this season for what it is. The Pistons aren’t going to win a title, but they are a fun team, are fighting their butts off for a playoff spot and have a likeable cast with real chemistry.
For those worried about “losing the draft pick!” or complaining that the Pistons didn’t add a superstar at the trade deadline (who exactly? And which players were you giving up? They never have those answers.), I’d suggest enjoying this while you can, enjoying it as the first step to something special, not the end game, not the final product.
This is just the beginning, so even if you aren’t completely satisfied with the team this season, know that even better days are coming and also appreciate the fact that we are no longer the Hornets, no longer a doormat with no hope but some 18-year-old in the draft.