Cade Cunningham waited through Charlotte’s first-half storm, then turned the third quarter into Detroit’s answer. The Pistons star scored 30 points and directed the key plays in a 97-89 home win over the Hornets on Wednesday. Detroit entered at 3-1, seeking another early sign that last season’s playoff run can lead somewhere bigger. Charlotte arrived 3-1, hoping its young scorers could keep building a new team identity.

The Hornets struck first. Naz Reid opened the scoring with a long three-pointer, and Brandon Miller raced in for a layup as Charlotte grabbed an 8-0 lead. Miller, the 6-foot-9 forward carrying a larger scoring role, drilled another three to make it 13-4. Detroit did not rush. Cunningham attacked the rim for a dunk, then found John Collins for an alley-oop dunk. A three-pointer from Kevin Huerter helped Detroit grab a 21-19 lead before Royce O’Neale’s late long shot put Charlotte ahead 22-21 after one quarter.

Charlotte’s second quarter was its sharpest stretch. Dennis Schroder drove for two layups, while Miller scored on a dunk, a three-pointer, and a turnaround jumper. His three free throws pushed the lead to 40-28. Detroit struggled to finish near the basket, but Cunningham kept trying to pull the Pistons closer. A long bank shot by guard Jenkins at the halftime horn cut the gap to 51-44.

Then Detroit’s defense changed the game. The Pistons created steals, forced rushed passes, and made Charlotte work for every shot. Paul Reed stole the ball twice in the third quarter and hit two three-pointers. Javonte Green added a three, and Cunningham buried one of his own to give Detroit its first lead since the opening quarter, 57-56.

That 13-2 burst mattered because it flipped the game from Charlotte’s fast pace to Cunningham’s controlled pace. He found Duncan Robinson for a three, then fed Ausar Thompson for an alley-oop dunk. Detroit won the quarter 32-19 and took a 76-70 lead into the fourth.

Cunningham opened the final period with two straight baskets, stretching the lead to 80-70. Charlotte kept pushing behind Miller, who finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds, plus Schroder’s late three that cut it to 94-89. But Cunningham answered with a 25-foot three-pointer with 31.1 seconds left. It was the final stamp on a night when he also handed out seven assists.

Detroit forced 23 Charlotte turnovers and turned pressure into 13 steals. Reed’s 16 points and Robinson’s four steals gave Cunningham important help, while Thompson filled the game with nine rebounds and eight assists. The Pistons are now 4-1 and head next to Brooklyn. Charlotte falls to 3-2 before facing Washington, carrying proof that Miller can lead big nights but that cleaner possessions will decide whether those nights become wins.

Cade Cunningham Guides Detroit Through Charlotte’s Early Storm