Howard Leads Hornets Over Pistons For Fourth Win in Row

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Published on February 26 2018 6:41 am
Last Updated on February 26 2018 6:41 am

By ESPN

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Something has changed for the Hornets' bench in the last three game. Cody Zeller calls it "rhythm." Frank Kaminsky calls it "flow."

No matter what name this newfound chemistry goes by, it has added up to the best play of the season from Charlotte reserves. And Sunday, it meant the difference as the Hornets beat the Detroit Pistons 114-98 for a season-best fourth straight win.

Dwight Howard led the Hornets with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Kemba Walker also recorded 17 points for Charlotte. But it was the Hornets' bench outscoring Detroit's reserves 51-28 that gave Charlotte the biggest edge.

"This is maybe the best 3-4 games we've played all season just because we're starting to put it together, especially on the defensive end," Zeller said. "Everyone is tied together."

The Hornets improved to 27-33 while making a push toward the No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs. The Pistons have 28 wins, and there are eight teams in the conference with at least 31 victories.

The Hornets used a 14-0 run, sparked entirely by the bench, to outscore Detroit 38-27 in the second quarter. In that big stretch, reserve forward Kaminsky had six points while backup center Zeller and forward Traveon Graham each had four.

"Everyone's being aggressive, moving the ball well and playing good defense," Kaminsky said. "That's where we struggled for a lot of the season, is figuring out each other, how we're playing defense with each other. I think we've started to figure it out."

For Kaminsky, it wasn't only a chemistry issue with his fellow reserves, but a matter of obtaining much-needed rest during the All-Star break. In three games since returning from the break, Kaminsky is averaging 13.3 points on 44.8 percent shooting, including 62.5 percent from 3-point range.

"I needed a little bit of a break," Kaminsky admitted. "Get away mentally, get away physically. It was good for not only me, but it feels like it was good for everybody."

The Pistons, on the other hand, haven't fared as well since the break. They lost their second straight, and for the fifth time in the last six games.

Blake Griffin led the Pistons with 20 points on 10-for-18 shooting, while Andre Drummond had 14 points and 14 rebounds.

And among regular bench players, only James Ennis III (nine points) was not held scoreless.

"We're just having so much trouble when we go to the bench," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said.

Van Gundy attempted to tweak his lineup with a new rotation, resting both Griffin and Drummond for stretches.

"I intend to stagger it more," Van Gundy said. "We were playing decent and I decided to just go along with it."

Still, by halftime, Charlotte held a 70-46 advantage, as all 10 players who got in the game scored. In the end, seven Hornets players scored in double-digits.

Howard had 10 points and five rebounds while Nicolas Batum had six assists in the first quarter as the Hornets jumped to a quick 32-19 advantage.

 

Sunday, February 25 Scoreboard

Charlotte 114, Detroit 98

New Orleans 123, Milwaukee 121 (OT)

San Antonio 110, Cleveland 94

Washington 109, Philadelphia 94

Houston 119, Denver 114


Monday, February 26 Schedule (All Times Central)

Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m

Memphis at Boston, 6:30 p.m.

Chicago at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Golden  State at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Detroit at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Phoenix at New Orleans, 7 p.m.

Orlando at Oklahoma  City, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Houston at Utah, 8 p.m.

Minnesota at Sacramento, 9 p.m.