The Pistons got the kind of night they needed against the Hornets, and Kevin Huerter was right in the middle of it.
Detroit’s shooting had been sliding in recent games, but that changed against a weak Hornets defense. Huerter, who came in shooting just 33% from three, found his range and knocked down a season-high 3 triples on 5 attempts Monday night. The result was a 9-point outing that could mean a lot more than the box score suggests.
There was more to like than just the raw numbers. Huerter had already shown a little life in the previous game, when he went 2-of-4 from deep. Now he looks like he’s starting to build something, and that matters for Cade Cunningham, who has needed more help lately in the form of scoring or spacing.
The way Huerter made those shots should give Detroit even more reason to feel good. He connected on a stepback, a quick catch-and-shoot with a hand in his face, and a spot-up look from deep in transition. Those are tough shots, the kind that can flip a player’s confidence fast if they start going down.
And Huerter did plenty else besides shoot. He finished with 2 rebounds, 3 assists and 1 steal, continuing to show the all-around game that has made him useful since arriving in Detroit. He helped spark the Pistons’ transition attack with his defense and outlet passing, and even when he wasn’t directly getting the steal or the assist, he was part of the push that turned stops into easy runouts.
That fits Detroit’s identity. The Pistons are at their best when they force turnovers and turn them into quick points, and Huerter’s calm, polished style works well in that system. If the shot keeps coming around, he becomes even more valuable.
There’s already a template for how a shooter can thrive in that kind of chaos. Duncan Robinson has repeatedly taken advantage of transition chances this season to get open looks, either for himself or to open lanes for teammates at the rim. Huerter can be that kind of weapon for Detroit if this stretch holds.
If he gets there, the Pistons’ bench looks a whole lot more dangerous. They already have the athleticism and the defensive disruption.
What they’ve been waiting for is Huerter’s shooting to come back. That’s exactly the kind of resurgence Detroit had in mind when it extended him for three more years in the offseason.
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At 6-1, the early numbers are starting to match the eye test for a group that suddenly looks far more than just a nice story in the East. The bigger question now is whether Detroit can keep stacking nights like this against better competition, because the way it handled Charlotte suggested a team that expects to belong in the conversation. [Read more 🡒]