Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller spoke about Monday’s 110-104 loss to the Detroit Pistons at Spectrum Center, a game that included a third-quarter brawl and four player ejections. The defeat snapped Charlotte’s nine-game winning streak.
Miller emphasized the importance of moving past the altercation. “I think that’s the game… the emotions are high so of course some things escalate like that, but putting it to the side and just focus on what you need to focus on… that’s kind of our mindset,” he said.
Asked about being in the middle of the fight, Miller said, “It’s fun… I tilt my hat off every night to the fans just for showing up… keep encouraging them to show up and cheer us on.”
Miller also addressed the team’s physical approach in a matchup against Detroit. “Definitely… we’re trained to play through some physicality. We keep getting better that way,” he said, highlighting Charlotte’s competitive mindset despite the loss.
The Hornets’ head coach Charles Lee was ejected in the fourth quarter, and Miller praised his leadership. “That’s our head honcho… to see him have our back like that, I tip my hat off to him, but we’ve got to stay focused and just focus on the right things,” Miller said.
Charlotte’s Brandon Miller led the team with 24 points, while LaMelo Ball and Kon Knueppel each scored 20. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points for Detroit, with Duncan Robinson adding 18 and Jalen Duren 15 before being ejected for sparking the brawl with Moussa Diabate.
The confrontation started in the third quarter when Duren, driving to the basket, got into a face-to-face exchange with Diabate and struck him with an open right hand. The incident escalated as Miles Bridges, Isaiah Stewart, and others became involved.
Despite 21 turnovers, Miller noted the team’s progress compared to their last meeting with the Pistons. “We got better from that night… tonight’s game will help us moving forward,” he said.
Charlotte fell to 25-29 while Detroit improved to 39-13 in the Eastern Conference. The Hornets visit Houston on Thursday, and the Pistons travel to Milwaukee on Wednesday.
