CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Alec Burks scored a season-high 27 points off the bench, Killian Hayes added 25 and the Detroit Pistons ruined LaMelo’s return to the floor in a 141-134 overtime victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
Bojan Bogdanovic had 24 points and Isaiah Stewart had 19 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit (8-22). Jaylen Duren had 18 rebounds as the Pistons snapped a three-game losing streak.
Burks had five points in overtime, including his fourth 3-pointer of the game with 1:47 left to put the Pistons on top.
“We know what he’s going to do,” Hayes said of Burks, now in his 12th NBA season. “He went through those situations and definitely gave us a lift in overtime.”
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points to lead the Hornets, and Terry Rozier added 25, although he was just 2 of 13 from beyond the arc.
Ball had 23 points on 9-of-18 shooting to go along with 11 assists in his first game since Nov. 16. He was fouled with 29.6 seconds left in regulation and missed overtime as the Hornets (7-21) led 14-7.
Ball said he felt some pain in his ankle during the game and felt a slow level.
The 21-year-old point guard looked rusty as he hit five of his first six 3-point attempts.
“It was legs and stuff, just getting back to it,” Ball said.
But he started to heat up early in the fourth quarter, knocking down back-to-back 3s, including a dunk in the left corner, to trim Detroit’s lead to five. Ball then drove the lane and set up a feed to Jalen McDaniels for an overhead 3-pointer with 10 minutes left.
“He’s really good and we had three quarters with 30 or more points,” Hornets center Mason Plumlee said. “It’s great to have him back.”
With the game tied late, Bogdanovic missed a layup and the Hornets grabbed the rebound and called a timeout with 1.3 seconds left to set up a sideline inbounds play. But Rozier’s off-balance 3 from the corner went around the rim and at the buzzer, sending the game into overtime.
With the ball out of play, Detroit took over by OT.
Burks and Hayes made consecutive 3s to give Detroit a 138-134 lead with 1:11 left.
“When you get an overtime win like that, it shows character,” Hayes said.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford said after the game that he was unhappy with his team’s defensive effort.
“We don’t win much until we worry about something besides how many points,” Clifford said in his opening remarks before walking away without taking questions from reporters. There is no defense we play – not one person. There is no bright spot. We do not run to the defense; We don’t guard the ball; What we roll. … All we care about is scoring points. no more.”
“We have to lock in on defense and figure that out,” Ball said. We’ll change this as soon as we do.
Silas remembered
The Hornets honored former coach Paul Silas, who died Saturday, with a silent and video tribute before the game. The team will wear a commemorative “Silas” patch on the left sleeve for the rest of the season.
Silas spent eight seasons with the Hornets and is third in club history in games coached (401), games won (193) and hitting percentage (.481).
Important advice
Pistons: 18 3-pointers made.
Hornets: McDaniel had an embarrassing moment when he received a backhand pass from Plumlee and attempted a one-handed dunk, the ball ricocheting off the rim and into the team’s bench and sailing out of bounds.
Next
Pistons: Host Sacramento on Friday night.
Hornets: Host Atlanta on Friday night.
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