Cade Cunningham spearheaded Detroit’s offence with 33 points, 7 assists and 5 steals as the Pistons overwhelmed the Charlotte Hornets 124-91 on Monday night, according to reports of the game. Detroit cruised to its third consecutive victory, building a 23-point lead by the end of the third quarter before extending the margin further in the final period. It was a dominant, wire-to-wire display from a young team growing in confidence by the week.
Cunningham controls every phase
Cunningham was superb on both ends, scoring efficiently, creating for teammates and disrupting Charlotte’s offence with five steals. When a star guard defends like that and scores like that, the rest of the team follows — and Detroit did, sharing the ball and defending with energy. The Pistons’ third straight win moves them to 6-1 and second in the Eastern Conference, setting up a mouth-watering showdown: Detroit hosts the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET, a matchup of the East’s top two teams to start the 2026-27 season. The 76ers are 7-1 and first in the East; Detroit won the first meeting 106-93 on October 25, when Cunningham scored 26 points.
Hornets outclassed
Charlotte, beaten heavily at Spectrum Center, could not cope with Detroit’s physicality or pace. The Hornets’ offence stalled, their defence cracked, and the game was effectively over long before the fourth quarter. Injuries complicate Detroit’s week — centre Jalen Duren is out with a hamstring injury and guard Isaiah Joe is out with a hip injury — but on this form, the Pistons look like a genuine Eastern Conference force. Wednesday’s visit of Philadelphia will tell us just how far they have come.
Detroit’s statement, and Wednesday’s test
Three straight wins, a 33-point demolition and a growing belief in the locker room — Detroit is playing like a team that expects to win, not one hoping to. Cunningham’s two-way performance set the standard, and the Pistons’ depth carried it. Wednesday’s visit of Philadelphia is the perfect measuring stick: the 76ers sit first in the East, Detroit second, and the winner takes early-season bragging rights. If the Pistons win that one too, the rest of the conference will have to take them very seriously indeed.
