NBA

Pistons 112, Hornets 102

There are numerous reasons behind the Pistons’ surprising 27-26 record, but it’d be overthinking things to look any further than their best player, Cade Cunningham. While his 54.9 true shooting percentage isn’t a beacon of efficiency, the All-Star’s numbers are up across the board this season. Those overall contributions by Cunningham have given the Pistons a legitimate face of the franchise, one capable of leading Detroit to the playoffs at 23. Cunningham recorded a triple-double in this win, tallying 19 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists.

Like the Pistons, there are real reasons for the Hornets’ 13-37 mark. Again, I’m not going to overlook their best player. Why does LaMelo Ball seemingly miss every other game? And the masses want him to be an All-Star?! Ball has played in just 32 of Charlotte’s 50 games, and missed this loss due to an ankle injury. On a related note, the fifth-year man has appeared in over 51 games just once in his career.