National Basketball Association
Charlotte 118, Detroit 103
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, March 11, 2016
Where: Spectrum Center, Charlotte, North Carolina
Officials: #6 Tony Brown, #41 Ken Mauer, #46 Ben Taylor
Attendance: 18189

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Charlotte Hornets are on their longest winning streak in six seasons and coach Steve Clifford couldn't be happier.

The Hornets rolled past the Detroit Pistons 118-103 on Friday night for their sixth straight victory, which is their first six-game winning streak since 2010 and the longest current winning streak in the NBA.

The Hornets raced to a 19-point first-half lead and never trailed, taking control quickly much like they have throughout the streak.

"We had stretches tonight that were the best we've played all year, putting offense and defense together," Clifford said. "It was a good effort, a good win. The ball is moving really good right now."

Marvin Williams led the Hornets with 22 points, making five 3-pointers. He scored 11 points in the first quarter as the Hornets set the tone for the night by shooting 61.9 percent from the field. They wound up shooting 50.6 percent for the game.

Six others scored in double figures. Nicolas Batum had 17 points and 11 assists, Kemba Walker scored 16 points, Courtney Lee contributed 15, Al Jefferson had 12 and Frank Kaminsky and Cody Zeller each had 10.

"We've got great chemistry," Williams said. "You know how it is, sometimes you get a good group of guys, guys that want to play for each other, guys that want to win. We love playing for coach. He encourages us every day, pushes us every day, and that’s why we want to get better.

"We're doing a great job. We're taking it one game at a time. That's all we're concentrating on, the task at hand."

Walker saw his streak of four straight games of scoring 30 or more points end as he was just 3 of 11 from the field and 1 of 5 from 3-point range. But he was more concerned about the winning streak.

"Everybody's working hard, and all the hard work is paying off in the games," Walker said. "We love to play here in front of our home crowd. They give us energy.

"It's also the playoff push. We're playing against teams that are trying to get in the playoffs, like Detroit, so they're very important games and we're getting up for them and pulling out some big wins."

The Hornets (36-28) are eight games above .500 for the first time all season. They remain in the No. 5 slot in the Eastern Conference standings.

"It feels good, but in this league it's all about tomorrow," Clifford said. "We've got to watch the film and figure out what we've got to do better. That's how we all have to think.

"I just told them, two or three teams at this time of year are going to get better. It happens every year. Two or three teams are going to get better and they're going to win a playoff series or two, or give themselves a chance.

"It's not just about winning right now. It's about winning, and getting better."

The Pistons (33-32) had won two straight and six of their previous eight.

But Detroit could never get Andre Drummond on track. He battled foul trouble in both halves and finished with just five points and nine rebounds. He managed one shot from the field all night.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Pistons with 24 points. Reggie Jackson finished with 20 points and 10 assists, and Tobias Harris also scored 20.

"We weren't ready at the beginning of the game," Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy said. "It was pretty much over right there. We made one run back. We played about eight or nine good minutes, and that was it. Then they just buried us again."

NOTES: The Hornets also beat the Pistons 108-84 on Dec. 7 in Charlotte. The teams play one more time on March 25 at Detroit. ... The Hornets are 19-1 when scoring 100 or more points at home this season. ... The Hornets signed G Jorge Gutierrez for the remainder of the season after his second 10-day contract expired. In three games, Gutierrez has appeared in four games, averaging 2.3 points. ... C Spencer Hawes (back) remains out for the Hornets but has started practicing again and should be back sometime next week. ... The Pistons came into the game second in the NBA in offensive rebounding but got only three on Friday night. ... Pistons F Anthony Tolliver and G Stanley Johnson both saw their first action in two weeks, coming back from injuries. ... Hornets coach Steve Clifford was an assistant under Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy in Orlando from 2007 to 2012.
Top Game Performances
 
Detroit   Charlotte
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 24 Scoring Marvin Williams 22
Reggie Jackson 10 Assists Nicolas Batum 11
Andre Drummond 9 Rebounds Courtney Lee 6
Tobias Harris 6 Free Throws Made Kemba Walker 9
Tobias Harris 3 Steals Nicolas Batum 2
Aron Baynes 3 Blocks Frank Kaminsky 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Detroit 103 47.4 9-30 22-27 19 33 4 7 12
Charlotte 118 50.6 10-25 24-29 28 37 5 9 11
Upcoming Games
  • Charlotte will play their next game at home against Houston. The Hornets have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .517 after a loss.
  • Detroit will play their next game on the road against Philadelphia. The Pistons have a W/L % of .529 after a win and .484 after a loss.