Detroit Pistons’ Defense Shut Down Hornets in Friday Night Win

The Detroit Pistons used a dominant fourth quarter to pull away from the Charlotte Hornets, securing a 118-110 road win at the Spectrum Center.

Cade Cunningham played a total of 28 minutes in his second game since returning from his collapsed lung injury. He finished with 14 points and seven assists. Jalen Duren added a near double-double with 20 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Duncan Robinson provided 19 points.

In a game that started out as tightly contested through the first half and into much of the third quarter, both teams traded baskets and neither side built a major lead. But the story ultimately came in the fourth quarter, where Detroit shut the door defensively, holding the Hornets to just 10 points.

The Pistons overpowered Charlotte, forcing turnovers and limiting clean looks from beyond the arc. The Hornets had 13 made threes through the first three quarters, but eventually struggled to see a three-pointer fall in the fourth, going 0-for-9.

“That was us at our best,” J.B. Bickerstaff said. “That group that started the fourth quarter, I thought did a great job. DJ, Ron, Woo, that group I thought was all over the place. They were active, they picked up, they pressured, they set the tone, but made it extremely difficult. Then we did a great job of finishing possessions, so that's Pistons basketball, and that's what we come to expect.”

“That was us at our best.”

Bickerstaff speaks on the #Pistons’ defensive performance in the fourth quarter, where they held the Hornets to a season-low 10 points. pic.twitter.com/LOrHQmdByh
— Coty M. Davis (@CotyDavis_24) April 11, 2026

Collectively, Detroit also recorded 13 steals. While they turned things up defensively, their offense followed suit, and a remarkable 22-4 run put the game out of reach. This gave Detroit its largest lead of 21 points and they never looked back.

For Charlotte, LaMelo Ball led all scorers with 27 points, while Brandon Miller added 22 points and Coby White chipped in 11. With the loss, the Hornets will now have to compete in the Play-In Tournament, where they must win two games in order to keep their postseason desires alive.

What’s Coming Up Next?

The Detroit Pistons have now won six consecutive games and improved to a 59-22 record, and are now just one win away from another accomplishment, which is reaching the 60-game win mark for the first time since the 2005-06 season.

For their final regular season game, they will travel to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers tomorrow with a lot of momentum on their side. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST.