Pistons avoid epic collapse to hold off Hornets in Dennis Schröder's debut

Coty M. Davis, The Detroit News on Feb 9, 2025

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DETROIT — In preparation for the 2025 NBA trade deadline, Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon and his team identified two key intangibles.

They aimed to acquire a veteran point guard who could serve as a secondary ballhandler during the Pistons' playoff push. However, regardless of the moves made, Langdon and his staff were determined to maintain the team's cohesion.

The gameplan led to the Pistons acquiring point guard Dennis Schröder in a five-team trade that also included Lindy Waters III and a future second-round pick from the Golden State Warriors. Sunday's 112-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets was a small sample size of what made Schröder the ideal trade target for the Pistons.

Schröder played 15 minutes at Little Caesars Arena and recorded five points and three assists. It also did not take Schröder long to display the same chemistry that has led to the Pistons' 27-26 record through 53 games. He made his first appearance at the 2:43 mark of the first quarter and immediately connected with his longtime friend Malik Beasley (17 points), who was the beneficiary of Schröder's first three assists with a trio of triples.

"Dennis, I've known him since I was in high school," Beasley said. "During his Atlanta Hawks days, I used to go to his house and chill. My mom knows him really well. That's literally my brother."

While Schröder's debut was the primary headliner, the Pistons took care of business against the depleted Hornets during the first half. Tobias Harris scored 14 of his 20 points during the first quarter, leading to the Pistons holding a 39-15. By the 7:11 mark of the second quarter, Ron Holland II scored a layup to give Detroit its biggest lead of the game at 52-24.

Holland scored nine points off the bench, while Ausar Thompson added 16 points, eight rebounds and two steals. Cade Cunningham returned after a one-game absence due to an ankle injury, playing 37 minutes and finishing with 19 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.

By halftime, the Pistons led 66-46, but the Hornets began to make the game competitive in the third quarter. By the end of the period, they had cut their deficit from 28 points to 17 (90-73). Early in the fourth quarter, Seth Curry's layup left Charlotte trailing 90-85 with 8:40 left.

The Hornets came within two points, 92-90, after starting the final period on a 14-0 run. However, they were unable to capitalize on the momentum during the next two minutes. After Cunningham's mid-range jumper, Schröder nailed his first 3-point field goal, giving Detroit a 97-90 lead.

With seven players on the injury report, Curry scored 26 points, while Miles Bridges (Michigan State) added 30. Isaiah Wong recorded 17 points off the bench.

Jalen Duren's dunk at the 1:50 mark put the game out of reach for the Pistons. Duren finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds.

Observations and notes vs. Hornets

— Waters' debut: Waters will have to wait before making his debut for the Pistons. The second player Detroit obtained in the trade recorded a DNP.

— No Ball for the Hornets: The Hornets were significantly short-handed in their series finale against the Pistons. Along with second-year forward Brandon Miller, an ankle injury kept LaMelo Ball sidelined. Without their All-Star guard, the Hornets dropped to 1-18 in games without Ball's participation. Charlotte and Detroit ended the four-game regular-season series at 2-2.

— There's no place like home: By defeating the Hornets, the Pistons ended their six-game homestand with a 4-2 record. After a slow start at LCA, the Pistons now possess a home record of 14-13.

Up next

The Pistons will begin a four-game road trip on Tuesday, which will mark the first of a back-to-back set against the Chicago Bulls. The two-game series at the United Center will mark the final two games before the All-Star break. Amid their return, the Pistons will resume their road trip against the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 21. The Pistons will Tipoff between the Pistons and Bulls is slated for 8 p.m. ET.

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