Charlotte Hornets Comeback Falls Short in 115-114 Loss to Detroit

The Charlotte Hornets hard fought fourth quarter comeback came up just short as Marco Belinelli‘s potential game winner was waived off.

The Charlotte Hornets (20-17) were defeated by the Detroit Pistons (17-21) as their fourth quarter comeback effort fell just short. Kemba Walker led his team back in the final period but they ended up running out of time as Belinelli’s potential game-winner came just after the buzzer. While Detroit never trailed in this one, the final moments were nerve wrecking for both sides.

Cody Zeller missed his second consecutive game with a concussion but he is working his way back to returning to the starting lineup. Roy Hibbert filled in at center and recorded eight points and six rebounds. Nicolas Batum suffered a hyperextended right knee in the third quarter and did not return to the game.

Turning Point

The Hornets trailed by as many as 19 points with just under 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter. They then went on a 41-22 run to eventually tie the game at 113 with only eight seconds left in the game. Momentum was all in the visiting teams’ favor but the night would not be theirs.

More from Swarm and Sting

• Hornets: Where does Brandon Miller’s ceiling rank among other rookies?
• Charlotte Hornets grade out mostly average in position-by-position ranking
• Hornets News: P.J. Washington makes bold statement on Brandon Miller
• Grade the mock trade: Hornets snag Tyler Herro, flip Gordon Hayward
• Will the Charlotte Hornets be in the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery?

That would’ve been the turning point if Charlotte had come out on top but instead, the turning point was just seconds later when the refs called a ticky tack foul on Kemba Walker that sent Reggie Jackson to the free throw line with 1.9 seconds left. What ensued after that was madness but at when the buzzer sounded (after Marco Belinelli’s near game winner), the Pistons pulled walked away with the W.

Who Stepped Up

Kemba Walker led the Hornets once again as he finished with a game-high 32 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. Marvin Williams added 19 points and seven boards while Spencer Hawes chipped in with a huge 18 points off the bench. Nic Batum scored nine points to go along with four rebounds and five assists before he was forced to exit the game.

Outside of Kemba, Marvin, and Spencer, the rest of Charlotte’s team struggled to score the ball.

The Pistons were led by Tobias Harris who scored a team-high 25 points. Reggie Jackson recorded a double-double with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Marcus Morris also had a double-double with 20 points and 10 boards. While Andre Drummond did have 16 points and nine rebounds, the biggest surprise was Boban Marjanovic as he had 15 points and a ridiculous 19 rebounds off the bench.

Play of the Game:

Don’t care that it didn’t count. This is my play of the season.

Tweet of the Game:

"Quick Stings"

• Kemba scored 20 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter.
• Walker recorded his sixth 30-point game of the season.
• Marvin Williams tied his season-high with 19 points.
• MKG recorded his 11th 10+ rebound game of the year.
• Charlotte never held the lead in this one.

With the loss, the Hornets fall to 1-2 against the Pistons so far this season. The two teams will meet once more this year in Detroit. Give Charlotte credit for battling back even though they lost this one because it should’ve never been this close down the stretch considering the circumstances.

Next: Extended Road Trip Will Test the Hornets Once Again

In their next game, the Charlotte Hornets will continue their road trip as they take one the San Antonio Spurs. This will be the second game of their five-game trip and after a slow start against Detroit, the team will look to bounce back in Texas. This close loss should give Steve Clifford’s side some momentum heading into their next outing but it will be interesting to see if Nic Batum is healthy enough to play.