Hornets vs. Pistons Preview
DETROIT, MI (AP) – The New Orleans Hornets have won their last two games in very contrasting ways, first engineering a 23-point comeback and then cruising to a 29-point victory two days later.
Despite winning in different fashions, Marcus Thornton’s performances looked awfully similar.
The previously seldom-used reserve has scored 19 points in back-to-back games, a spark the Hornets would love to see once again Sunday as they visit the Detroit Pistons.
According to NBA odds and oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Hornets -4 point spread favorites for Sunday’s game against the Pistons. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 88% of more than 265 bets for this game have been placed on the Hornets -4.
New Orleans (16-10) found itself down by 23 points with eight minutes left in the third quarter Wednesday against visiting Sacramento, but that’s when Thornton started to heat up. The second-year guard scored 17 of his 19 points the rest of the way, including the jumper that put the Hornets ahead for good with three minutes left in a 94-91 win.
Thornton kept scoring Friday against Utah, though this time every point wasn’t nearly as critical. He had seven of his 19 in the second quarter to help New Orleans open up a 17-point halftime lead en route to a 100-71 blowout.
The league’s seventh-highest scorer off the bench as a rookie last season, Thornton wasn’t playing much earlier in the season largely because coach Monty Williams wasn’t pleased with his defense.
He’s now trying to change that perception in a hurry.
“I was just trying to get myself going. I let my defense speak for my offense,” said Thornton, who had 21 games where he scored 20 or more as a rookie. “I get myself going on defense and it makes my offense a whole lot easier. There is always room for improvement. I’m not a bashful guy. Just get back tomorrow and hope to get better.”
The Pistons (8-19) thought they were getting better after snapping a four-game slide with a 103-80 rout of Atlanta on Tuesday, but they took a few more steps backward Friday. The Los Angeles Clippers, who came in 0-11 on the road, thrashed Detroit 109-88.
“This one hits home,” said forward Charlie Villanueva, who had team highs of 18 points and nine boards. “We know what was at stake. We know we laid an egg. We embarrassed ourselves out there. We all know that.”
The performance looked awfully similar to the one Detroit delivered in New Orleans on Dec. 8. David West and Marco Belinelli combined for 47 points and Chris Paul had 14 assists as the Hornets cruised to a 93-74 victory.
West, who had a game-high 25, has made a habit of tormenting the Pistons. He’s averaged 26.4 points as New Orleans has won four of the last five games in the series.
Detroit’s starters scored 29 points Friday, a season low for a team that gets just 55.0 points per game from its starting five. The Pistons got 44 points from the starters in the loss to the Hornets, and are 0-11 when they fail to get 52 points or fewer from its opening unit.
New Orleans, meanwhile, has enjoyed its most success when it’s getting something from Thornton and its bench. The Hornets are 11-3 when their reserves score at least 25 points.
Detroit’s struggles getting production from its starters suggest coach John Kuester might want to insert Villanueva or Ben Gordon into the starting lineup, but either way he’ll want to get Gordon plenty of minutes Sunday. Gordon has averaged 20.6 points in his career versus New Orleans while shooting 54.4 percent – easily his best mark against any opponent.
Gordon had 19 points in 28 minutes in the loss Dec. 8.
Bet On Hornets vs. Pistons Odds
Want More From TheSpread.com? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook or Subscribe to Our News Feeds!